Lord of the Rings director hails “best, most intense horror movie” in years

Lord of the Rings director ​​Peter Jackson has shared his fandom for what he’s described as the “best, most intense horror movie” in years. 

Peter Jackson is the renowned New Zealand filmmaker best known for directing, producing, and co-writing the movie adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. 

While these works are staples of the fantasy genre, fans have long described LOTR as lowkey horror movies due to the darker elements featured throughout. Which is not surprising given Jackson’s past within the genre. 

For the uninitiated, the filmmaker has helmed a number of iconic horror comedies, including 1987’s Bad Taste and 1992’s Braindead. So, when a director of Jackson’s calibre describes your film as the best he’s seen in years, it’s one hell of an accolade to receive. 

Lord of the Rings director hails “best, most intense horror movie” in years

Peter Jackson shared huge praise for Michael and Danny Philippou’s feature-length debut Talk to Me, an unrelenting horror about a group of teens who unleash more than they bargain for from the spirit world through a mysterious embalmed hand. 

It’s not surprising he’s a fan, given that a) Talk to Me is a great film and b) the perpetrators in Jackon’s previous movies have included the likes of a rat-monkey hybrid and man-eating space aliens.

Speaking with Ahi Films (via Total Film) about the film, Jackson said: “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.”

High praise indeed – and he’s not the only one. According to the Aussie directing duo, Hereditary filmmaker Ari Aster and Get Out icon Jordan Peele both told them they loved Talk to Me, much to the brothers’ excitement. 

And it’s not just those in the industry who are loving their flick, as the film has a respectable 82% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s been such a success, there’s even talks of a sequel, which you can read more about here. 

Talk to Me is in cinemas now, and you can read more of our coverage below:

Talk to Me review | Influence of The Babadook | Is it streaming? | Does Talk to Me have a post-credits scene? | Ending explained | Sequel plans