It Follows
“It could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you.” -Hugh
Right away, I think this film shows its hand in telling you that it is not your typical horror film. Instead of a slasher mentality, it created all forms of horror through a slow burning dread. Obviously there are a lot of underlying themes throughout the film, I think the true shine is how the director creates the setting. Dark and lingering shots following a mystery where not only the actors are watching over there shoulder, but you are too. The quote given above is its whole premise, and the fact that once you are followed you can never truly get rid of it is terrifying and is beginning to be copied in other modern horror films, and much worse in my opinion. I don’t always love horror, but I do appreciate its uniqueness. Along with that, I think Maika Monroe gives a great performance and shows how she earned her spot in Longlegs and deserves every label of ‘Scream Queen.’
Now the story is unique and the cinematography is superb, I think it still is what it is at it's core: a low budget horror. Does that make it bad? Absolutely not. I think it is a better horror film than 90% of what we are getting now, but that doesn’t make it perfect. Along with a few plot holes, like not trying to find an actual solution to the problem, it bothers me at times too, but overall I enjoyed it throughout the run time. It Follows is a chilling departure from the typical horror fare. While there are some plot points that leave something to be desired, It Follows remains a memorable and thought-provoking piece of horror cinema that deserves recognition for its innovative approach to the genre.
-J
