I have not seen very many original horror films in the past few years, but It Follows was a definite exception. The original plot combined with the youthful exuberance of the cast made this film a very quiet but intense experience. This film took one of the biggest tropes of horror films and made it into a very enjoyable premise.
This film is a magnificent example of purposeful sexuality in horror cinema. In most common horror films, the stereotype of the sexually-active couple are always the ones to get killed first. It seems to have been rooted in our culture that if you have sex, smoke, or drink in a horror film, the monster will most certainly get you. It was genius writing to take the sexual activity and make it the main premise of the film. The monster is only after the last person to have sex, and it is transferred like a disease, beginning the STD metaphor conversation surrounding this film after its release. I personally enjoyed the idea of having the monster be sexually transmitted, and I know that the filmmakers, especially after talking with Fred Green (executive producer) in class the other day, were in love with their idea. This film also worked very well with this premise because of its low budget. Since the monster was not CGI or special effects-driven, they used various humans as the monster and was only seen following the protagonists. This, in some way, worked much better than having the traditional evil monster in the film.
The acting in this film was amazing too, and the young cast brought so much life to their roles. The other aspect of this film I adored was its use of music. The soundtrack is nothing exceptional or extraordinary, like the Jaws theme or the shower violin from Psycho, but the music was very subtle and at times, silent. This gave that much more power to the scenes and the actors, and they truly brought life into it.
Some of my favorite scenes in the film included the long shots and the use of space in the backgrounds. One example would be when two of the protagonists are at the high school researching the real name of the man who gave the monster to Jay. As the camera panned around almost 720 degrees, the monster was seen in the shape of an older woman slowly approaching the window pane. This was very creepy, but done so well because the audience does not realize what is happening until it is right in their face. The other part that I thought was done very well was the ending shot. Jay and Paul, who she had passed the monster to, are walking down the street holding hands while someone walks slowly behind them. This person behind them is almost invisible and I had to view the scene twice to see them, but it was clear that it was the monster. This adds so much to the story, because it leaves the audience in a sense of wondering whether or not the two would face the monster or just keep running.
In conclusion, It Follows is a new and innovative horror film that, even with an independent budget, was done beautifully. It is absolutely worth watching, and I would strongly suggest this film.
My Rating: ★★★★
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