Review: It Follows

by Trevor Kirkendall

★★★½

The horror genre has been running stale for years, filled with one of two things, or a combination of both: jump scares and gore. Furthermore, it’s like everyone is just trying to fill their horror films with all the typical clichés. Everyone’s doing all the stuff Wes Craven made fun of in “Scream” It’s been going on for the better part of a decade now, and no one seems to have any intention of moving forward. The whole genre is in need of a strong kick in the rear. And it may have just got it.

David Robert Mitchell’s “It Follows” is one of the most remarkable horror films in years. It never relies on jump scares or gore to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Instead it relies on fear. It preys on your fear of the unknown and assumes that you’re anticipating something sinister to happen. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. The film assumes you’re smart enough to be aware of the all the surroundings on the screen. Keep watch in the background, not for an eerie bloody hand emerging from the darkness, but for a figure approaching from over a hundred yards away. We see it, they don’t, and we’re frightened for them.

The story centers on Jay (Maika Monroe), a pretty young blonde (which is about as clichéd as this film gets). She’s been casually dating Hugh (Jake Weary) and the two have decided to take their relationship to the next level. But after they have sex in the back of his car, Hugh tells her he’s passed along a curse to her. Pretty soon a supernatural entity is going to start coming for her. It will follow her anywhere she goes. If it reaches her, she’ll die and then the entity will start following Hugh again. The only way to get rid of the curse is to have sex with someone else and then that person will start to be followed. Talk about the worst STD ever!

So now Jay starts seeing creepy looking people slowly walking toward her. No one else can see them. Not her sister Kelly (Lil Sepe), not her childhood friend Paul (Keir Gilchrist), her neighbor Greg (Daniel Zovatto), or her sister’s friend Yara (Olivia Luccardi). All Jay can do is run from it whenever she sees it. Her friends say they believe her, but there is a little bit of doubt. All they know is something is incredibly wrong with Jay. But they do want to help her anyway they can to defeat this even spirit that’s always looking for her.

Yes, the premise is a little weird, but there’s nothing cheesy or gimmicky about “It Follows.” From end to end, this film is filled with genuine moments of levitation. Writer/director Mitchell has taken something that frightens anyone (the feeling we’re being followed) and turns it into one of the most hair raising horror films in many, many years. And he does it without relaying on all the worn out horror film stereotypes. Sure, Jay runs up the stairs when she should head out the door, but you’d do some inexplicable things if some evil ghoul were stalking you too. What the film lacks are the jump scares. As well, it doesn't rely on gore to sustain the freight. There's not any over-the-top fast-paced editing to make the audience sick or to risk inducing a seizure. And many of the thrilling moments take place in either broad daylight or well-lit areas. So why is it frightening? Because of the story. And above all else, the story is the most important aspect of any and all films.

The intensity is accentuated by a very chilling film score by the composer Disasterpeace, who has worked in the video game industry before. Parts of his score sounds like it came from a video game and has a very 1980's/John Carpenter feel to it. But when they want you on the edge of your seat, the music helps to get you there. It’s very effective, especially in the moments that elevate your blood pressure.

And since “It Follows” doesn't have any Hollywood megastars here, you never really know what’s going to happen to them. If this film had Jennifer Lawrence in a supporting role, you knew she’d be safe. They wouldn't kill her off. But without any well-known star in the bunch, there’s an definite uncertainty as to what will happen next. This young cast deserves a ton of credit. Movies like this can’t be easy to make but they all work very well together on screen.

Mitchell also sees to it that none of the cast slide into portraying these characters as horror-film clichés. Again, it’s very refreshing. Monroe leads the film in what amounts to a phenomenal horror performance. It’s the type of horror performance we’ll talk about years from now as being classic. I've never seen her in anything before, but she’s got all the makings of a big time star if she wants it. And what’s one cliché she doesn't bring to the table? The tired “back against the wall screaming whenever she sees something scary." That’s something no one will miss. She wasn't cast for her ability to scream, she was cast because she’s the right person for this role.

“It Follows” isn't just an original and refreshing horror film, it’s an original and entertaining all-around film. There are so many positive things to say about it that I've lost sight of the flaws. It’s not a perfect film by any stretch, but it sure is a lot of fun. There’s some corny dialogue here and there where you can even see the actor cringe for having to utter the line, but I’m not going to bring an entire film down over some dialogue. This is a genuinely frightening movie going experience. You need to allow yourself to be immersed in a story that’s designed to thrill you, rather than expecting a director to turn up to volume every time a door closes, or to suddenly cut to a new angle like he’s trying to say, “Okay, audience, now I want you to scream.” That’s not a true horror film. But “It Follows” has all the right ingredients, and it knows exactly how to use them.