It Follows (Review) - Subtle Indie Horror

Another Screen Unseen; another great movie. I've talked about it previously, but Odeon holds an event (usually monthly) at which they show an upcoming, unknown film to an audience who pay a discounted price per ticket. This time, I had the pleasure of seeing a relatively small, low-budget horror movie which looked incredibly original and interesting: It Follows. 

Jay (Maika Monroe)

The film takes place in a non-specified time period - which adds to a feeling of mystery and a sense of urban myth - and tells the story of adolescent girl Jay (Maika Monroe). Jay's infatuated by the romanticised idea of going on a date with a boy, taking a long drive, and inevitably consummating their relationship. What Jay doesn't know however, is that her boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary) is plagued by visions of horrific figures stalking him at all times, and by having sex with Jay, he has passed this curse onto her. In a frantic explanation near the start of the movie, Hugh explains how 'it' will follow Jay unendingly at all times, but only at a walking pace. If 'it' reaches Jay, 'it' will violently murder her - starting a truly frightening story with an almost eerily simple premise. 

It Follows takes the tired genre of 'teen-horror' and adds a new flair to it, and is all presented in a refreshingly subtle manner. It would have been cheap and easy to have constant screaming girls running away from the camera and demonic forces follow their every move, but this movie just gets it right. There's many occasions when a shot will remain on-screen for an extended duration of time, which will have you scanning every inch of the screen to try and spot an impending figure...but nothing actually happens. Where most movies immediately remove all fear with an abrupt jump-scare, It Follows leaves out these mindless frights in order to sustain a sense of dread for the entire run-time. And it's brilliant. 

Of course, there are a few occasions at which the movie will feature a 'false' jump-scare - such as a ball hitting a window for no reason - but these are rare enough to not burden the film. For the majority of the time, the simple image of a regular-looking person slowly, purposely approaching Jay will have you gritting your teeth in anticipation. It Follows also opts for less gore, which is a nice change from a lot of modern horror movies, and by doing this, it never feels abundantly exploitative; the opening scene ends with a violent, gory conclusion, but this is just one moment in a sea of many.

It would be a crime to talk about It Follows without making reference to the amazing soundtrack which runs throughout the film. Sounding often like a creepily synthesised ode to classic horror themes, the music within the movie is an entire character of itself. Building dramatically at moments and then insidiously waiting in the background, it's probably one of the best horror accompaniments I've heard. 

But despite all its praises, It Follows does still feature a few pitfalls which prevent it from true brilliance. The majority of the characters do their job, but Jay's friends all feel slightly clichéd and expendable; a trope which burdens countless films within the genre. Also, and arguably less important: the film has been criticised by some for its preachy, glaring messages about how sex is wholly negative and will, quite literally, result in your death. I don't agree with this in the slightest (though the nature of the 'curse' is a little odd), and think that this is a claim which doesn't really have any true ground. It's something to bear in mind.

Verdict

While It Follows is no horror masterpiece, it's still a truly unsettling movie which never really gives you time to relax. Some of the characters are forgettable and it unfortunately still retains the stereotypical features of modern horror, but it does manage to present an original idea in an entertaining package. Even if you're only going to hear the mesmerising soundtrack - it's still a movie which is well-worth your time. 

"This thing...it's gonna follow you. 

Somebody gave it to me, and I passed it to you."

Kingsman: The Secret Service (Review) - James Bond With An ASBO

Well that was certainly a nice surprise, wasn't it? It's very rare that you'd go into a film expecting a 5, and come out with a solid 10. Quite unexpectedly, Kingsman: The Secret Service manages to accomplish just that. 

Harry Hart / Gallahad (Colin Firth)

The film begins by introducing us to your typical, chavvy adolescent. Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin (Taron Egerton) had so much potential growing up, only to be squandered by a life of substance abuse and crime. After the death of his father however, Eggsy is introduced to the enigmatic Harry Hart - a mysterious figure operating under the alias 'Galahad' (Colin Firth). Harry's a member of the elite, eponymous spy group The Kingsman, and soon begins training Eggsy up in order to welcome him into their prestigious team. 

Gary 'Eggsy' Unvin (Taron Egerton)

Predictable? Kingsman wrote the book. But the film wholly embraces this, and is one of the most fun, self-aware movies I have seen in years. If you cross Kick-Ass with James Bond and crank up the swearing and violence, you're halfway there. At no point, however, does this become even remotely close to a problem; not even when the characters openly discuss the preposterous nature of the movie before your very eyes. In an interaction between Galahad and the villainous Valentine (played spectacularly by Samuel L. Jackson), the two characters reminisce over the classic spy movies of their golden age, and how they're "too serious for my liking". This should give you a pretty good idea as to what you're in for: a blisteringly-fast action film with comedy to rival even the funniest of movies. 

And talking of action: Kingsman: The Secret Service has it in spades. A particular stand-out segment takes place in a church which erupts into one of the best action-scenes I've ever seen in a film - all accompanied by the pacey song 'Free Bird'. It's utterly ridiculous and if you stop to think about it - which you won't - it may even seem a little too absurd, but the film flies along at such speed that you just enjoy it for what it is and forget about silly little things like realism. 

Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson)

As far as faults are concerned, Kingsman's are few and far between. Eggsy's potential love-interest Roxy (Sophie Cookson) seems to exist only to amp up the tension for certain parts of the movie, and Samuel L. Jackon's lisp is occasionally a little unbelievable, but the minuscule size of these criticisms should tell you all you need to know: this is a seriously good movie. 

Verdict
I sincerely wish that all future films that I go and see with so-so expectations end up being half as good as Kingsman: The Secret Service. The 15 certificate allows for some fairly brutal violence and frequent swearing, which only adds to the brilliantly juvenile tone the film tries to - and most certainly does - achieve. If you were on the fence about seeing this due to the trailers not seeming quite that good, I urge you to reconsider. If you're desperate for a fun time in the cinema, this movie most certainly has you covered. 

"If you're prepared to adapt, you can transform"