Substitution – Bring Her Back: prodigious horror (critic)
The two kids responsible for the hand come back with a sumptuous horrifying melo which takes the risk of disappointing their fancub but will delight the readers of first.
Striking this way in which the little prodigies of “commercial” horror are radical today from their first hit. Last year, the young Parker Finn (born in 87) moved his franchise away Smile Rives of the exploitation for teenagers, by applying to him from his second part an arty, virtuoso and disturbed filter. Result: half as many spectators, but no more question of forgetting the name of this filmmaker. Ex-youtubeurs-Cascaders, the brothers (twins) Philippou, born in 92, chose for their part not to continue with a direct suite of The handsurprise card of 2022 in the horror department Red Bull. They come back this summer with Substitutiona horrific whispered story that quotes Jack Clayton as well as Shyamalan or the Simeterre by Mary Lambert.
We follow a post-ado and her little (beautiful) sister placed in a foster home after the sudden death of the dad. The place is administered by an old shrink, who lost his daughter a few years earlier and began to collect kids like Noah stocked animals in her arch. It is interpreted by the always amazing Sally Hawkins, here while in bipolar majesty, both twig under Xanax and hyperactive colossus. For an hour, and before the mechanics of the thriller resume his rights, the Philippou will be content to observe their actress hold the reins of this rainy melodrama which is like nothing known in the landscape of contemporary horror. The era of youtubers-authors is only starting.
Romain Thoral
From Danny and Michael Philippou. With Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong … Duration 1h44. Release on July 30, 2025
