However, others get bogged down in the hype, go see the film, and are then sorely disappointed. Is It Follows truly worth all the praise it has received? Or is it just another movie that is exciting for now but will disappear into the mists of history once the next big horror movie hits the screens?
Well, I finally had the chance to see the movie for myself. Trying to ignore things I had heard or read I wanted to experience the film on its own merits without the influence of outside commentary.
The story concerns a young woman named Jay. She is dating a young man named Hugh. One night at the end of their date they have sex in the back of his car. Afterwards, Hugh ties up Jay and forces her to listen to what he has to tell her. He has passed on some sort of curse to her. The curse means that some entity--an entity that can look like anyone in the world--will be always following her, always trying to catch her. And if it ever gets to her it will kill her. To get rid of it she just has to have sex with someone else and pass it on.
Hugh takes off, having lied the entire time about his identity. Jay is traumatized and frightened. She doesn't believe there is any real credibility to the curse until she begins to experience frightening supernatural occurrences. Her group of closest friends agree to try and help her escape the curse. Pretty soon they are in a fight for their lives and sanity against the dark and strange supernatural force.
Each of the scenes is composed in a way that we as the audience feel we just stepped into the home of a normal American teenager. The actors all do a phenomenal job in portraying the characters in a manner that really brings us into their lives and has us believe these are teens living in Detroit. This makes it all the easier to believe in the supernatural entity when it arrives and as the characters begin to figure out what is actually going on.
The film also does a great job of paying homage to other horror films of the past. Many shots, and much of the cinematography, is reminiscent of films from the late 1970s such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween. Many of the rooms, sets, and landscapes look very classically retro. And the slow movement of the demonic entity looks pointedly creepy against the well filmed shots.
By far my favorite element of the film was the music. The retro electronic style of the music gives the film the distinct atmosphere that contributes to the overall fear and tone of the movie. Between the music, the well written plot, and the setting the film feels like we've stepped back into the classic horror genre as we recognize it from films we love from the past. These elements alone make this one of the best new horror films in years.
Summing it Up
Deaths: 3
Language: 4
Gore Factor: 3
Sex Factor: 4
Scare Factor: 3
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 5