Peter Jackson is a multiple Oscar-winning director known for his incredible work with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and The Lovely Bones. Earning acclaim of such an accomplished filmmaker is certainly an honor, and the directors of 2023’s horror flick Talk to Me were recently lucky enough to receive this praise. Jackson called it “the best, most intense” movie within the genre that he’s seen in years.
Talk to Me has been a box office hit and become a indie darling since its release. The small A24 film has drawn a sizable audience, and many critics are commending the movie for its intense scares and fantastic horror filmmaking. The movie is terrifying, and utilizes great practical movie-making techniques to execute much of the most horrifying elements, like the very scary monkey hand. The Hobbit director recently told Ahi Films, one of Talk to Me’s film distributors, that he thought it was one of the best horror movies in years, saying (via Newshub):
It’s relentlessly scary and disturbing – in the best possible way. Talk To Me isn't just good - it's very very good. The best, most intense, horror movie I've enjoyed in years
Jackson is in very good company. The Phillipou brothers, who directed the surprise scary hit, have revealed they received congratulatory messages from horror kings like Steven Spielberg, Ari Aster and Jordan Peele. The movie was even praised by author Stephen King, who knows a thing or two about the genre. There’s clearly something special about Talk To Me that transcends traditional horror tropes, and young filmmakers getting this kind of attention for their first feature film is no small feat.
Peter Jackson is no stranger to horror himself, as many of his earliest films were within the genre, like The Frighteners and Dead Alive. Many directors get their start within horror movies, as they're often cheap to produce and generate profit. For example, Sam Raimi quickly became a household name amongst horror fans before being tapped to direct three Spider-Man movies. The Phillipou brothers are getting the same kind of buzz, so maybe they will have their own big budget trilogy in the future.
Talk to Me already has a sequel in the works, so the Phillipou brothers are sticking with horror for the time being. However, there are more Lord of the Rings movies currently in development, so maybe the filmmakers will follow in Peter Jackson’s footsteps and tell their own stories about Middle-Earth in the future. There is precedence, and according to Jackson himself, the Phillipous have a lot of promise. I can’t wait to see what they do next, and what other horror movies capture the attention of great filmmakers such as this one.
Talk to Me is still in theaters, so check it out while you can. Fans of Peter Jackson can check out the franchise director’s own work within horror by streaming The Frighteners right now on Starz. For more information on other terrifying flicks heading to streaming and cinemas this year, consult our upcoming horror movies guide.
