There is finite number of themes from which to draw, so half the battle of making a compelling film is finding a new angle to tell a story already told countless times. David Robert Mitchell succeeds at this as writer and director of IT FOLLOWS, a new horror film that’s receiving a level of artistic appreciation and acclaim rarely experienced by films true to this genre.
Set in suburban Detroit, the story follows Jay, a teenage girl who unwittingly becomes the target of an invisible evil force when she falls for a teenage boy who is not who he seems. Once the truth of the terror she has inherited sets in, she realizes she will never again be able to relax and enjoy her life, unless she can find a way to destroy the force compelled to follow her anywhere she goes. Accompanied by a handful of close friends, Jay must trust them to protect her against a dangerous force only she can see and that seemingly cannot be killed.
Jay, played by Maika Monroe, is exceedingly convincing as the relatively innocent, well-mannered good girl turned mostly helpless victim. She’s the popular girl with a kind heart type of character, easy to like and worthy of our empathy. Her sister Kelly, played by Lili Sepe, is a bit more of the girl next door, adventurous type, but the two of them are close enough to weather this bizarre storm together. Jay’s childhood friend with a deep-seeded crush Paul, played by Keir Gilchrist, first presents himself almost as if he’s the closeted gay friend, but rather turns out to be a timid admirer who ultimately proves to be Jay’s most dedicated defender.
Finally, Greg (played by Daniel Zovatto) is more the rebel teenage boy type, with whom Jay becomes smitten, but whose efforts to protect her are more steeped in a mild masculinity. Together, these four teenagers must try to outwit this slow, but smart presence while constantly on the move and on their toes, as the entity can appear as anyone.
IT FOLLOWS takes one of the oldest, most conventional horror movie plots and reinvents the entire experience. So many times, we have witnessed teenagers being stalked, chased and terrorized by slashers, psychos and evil creatures, but never quite like this. Mitchell draws on the influences of horror and the legendary filmmakers that have come before him and makes a film all his own.
Driven by an unseen terror, essentially introduced to the mainstream by the shark in JAWS, Mitchell also draws from another slow-burn suspenseful horror icon in HALLOWEEN, not just in the pacing, but also with the film’s original music, composed by Rich Vreeland (credited as Disasterpeace), which strangely melds the eerily minimalist style of John Carpenter’s score with the more ethereal ambiance of Vangelis, such as his work in BLADE RUNNER.
Following a similar line of thought, IT FOLLOWS also draws from another quintessential John Carpenter work, a remake itself. THE THING (1982) lays the foundation for a specific type of fear through paranoia that emerges as the mysterious force, which can appear as anyone, someone the character knows or loves, or a complete stranger. This creates a tension whereas anyone at anytime could be out for blood, unless you know what to look for, which Jay eventually understands and is significantly easier than testing blood samples with electricity.
Mitchell utilizes a color palette that pops just enough to embellish production, but selectively places harder contrast to add depth and enhanced darkness to certain scenes. This, along with a masterful use of moving camera and knowledge of when to linger statically, brings the underlying fear of the unknown and sense of being followed right to the foreground of the film, supercharging our ability to feel in that very time and place with Jay and her friends.
IT FOLLOWS is an extremely visceral, sensory film. In its peak moments, the shared fear is almost palpable, inducing goose bumps and an irrational sense of paranoia. Those viewers already naturally prone to these characteristics on a daily basis, may want to watch this film with great caution, as you’ll never see strangers quite the same way again.
IT FOLLOWS is successful not due to a massive budget, big special effects or a star-studded cast, as none of these things exist for the film. Instead, the film thrives on a solid script, tremendous direction and a low-key, talented cast without pretension for making anything other than what this film was meant to be, a terrifyingly complex but seemingly simple horror film that eats away at out most primary human fears.
IT FOLLOWS opens in St. Louis theaters on Friday, March 27th, 2015.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
