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| 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."
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