An Explanation of the Shocking Conclusion of Bring Her Back
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Bring Her Back.
While Bring Her Back suggests grief is the true monster, the desperate mother Laura, portrayed intensely by , demonstrates monstrous qualities herself.
Following their well-received 2023 debut, Australian filmmaking duo, the RackaRacka creators from YouTube, present a raw exploration of trauma and grief through a supernatural horror film that pushes boundaries. The film is brutal and currently holds an 89% “fresh” rating on .
Beginning with a found footage segment depicting a disturbing occult ritual, Bring Her Back introduces step-siblings Piper (Sora Wong) and Andy (Billy Barratt). We soon learn that 17-year-old Andy feels responsible for protecting his partially blind younger sister. After discovering their father dead in the shower, Andy, close to becoming Piper’s legal guardian, struggles to stay with her as they enter child protective services. Their unconventional foster mother, Laura, is primarily interested in Piper, who resembles Laura’s deceased daughter Cathy (Mischa Heywood). Laura clearly wants Andy gone.
Upon arriving at Laura’s isolated home, Piper and Andy meet Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), a mute and seemingly troubled boy introduced as Laura’s nephew, often confined to his room. As Oliver’s behavior becomes increasingly violent and Laura’s attempts to separate Piper and Andy intensify, it becomes apparent that Laura’s intentions are much darker than simply disliking Andy.
How Bring Her Back ends
Bring Her Back offers a disturbing viewing experience, providing little relief as it progresses towards its bleak conclusion. However, horror fans seeking approximately 100 minutes of constant dread may find it satisfying.
Ultimately, it’s revealed that Laura, consumed by grief over her daughter’s death, is using the ritual shown in the opening scene to resurrect Cathy, whose body she has kept hidden in a locked shed. The source of the VHS tape remains unknown, but the ritual involves transferring a spirit into another person’s body through a possessed host. The possessed host must consume the deceased and then regurgitate their remains into the mouth of a person who is sacrificed in the same manner as the original death. Specifically, a possessed Oliver, actually a kidnapped boy named Connor, must eat Cathy’s body and vomit her into Piper’s mouth after Laura drowns Piper, completing the soul transfer.
After weeks of psychological abuse, Andy convinces their caseworker, Wendy (Sally-Anne Upton), to investigate Laura’s house. Laura’s latest tactic involves assaulting Piper and blaming Andy, leading to Andy’s desperation to protect his sister. When Wendy realizes the danger, Laura tries to run them over, killing Wendy and drowning Andy.
Piper returns home to find Andy’s body and attempts to escape, but Laura subdues her and takes her to the pool. As Oliver waits, filled with Cathy’s remains, Laura begins drowning Piper. However, Piper’s cry of “Mom” causes Laura to hesitate, realizing she cannot kill Piper.
Piper escapes and is rescued by her goalball coach, who had come to check on her after seeing her injury. Later, police discover Laura in the pool with Cathy’s remains. They also find Connor, who has regained his senses and is crying for help.
The final scene shows Piper hearing a plane, remembering Andy’s words about planes carrying souls to the afterlife: “We’re not burned or buried, we just catch a flight.”
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