REVIEW: It Follows

MOVIE
It Follows

CAST
Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist

RATING
R

RELEASE
March 13, 2015 (NY/LA)
March 20, 2015 (Expands)

DIRECTOR
David Robert Mitchell

STUDIO
Radius-TWC

RUNNING TIME
1 hour 34 minutes







STARS
***3/4







REVIEW:

There are people out there who believe that the 80s showcased some of the scariest films out there.  David Robert Mitchell seems to be one of those individuals, and thanks to that has made a movie that not only exploits the tropes of 80s horror flicks, but celebrates them at the same time.  "It Follows" acts as something of a PSA for abstinence as the story is of a girl who starts being followed by an apparition only she can see after a seemingly normal sexual encounter.  Aside from one scene, there isn't a single jump scare present whatsoever throughout this flick's 94 minute duration.  Instead, the film gets its scares from the atmospheric creepiness and intensity brought in the style of suspense and thrills, with the occasional moments of humor put in there to lighten the mood.  It's because of this, along with many other things, that makes the film well worth seeing.

Maika Monroe is an actress that I would suggest looking out for.  Most recently she was in "The Guest," but even there she was second-billed to Dan Stevens.  She gets the ability to be the main star of this film as the latest victim of this paranormal being, Jay.  First off, I just have to point out that this actress has something about her look that reminds me a lot of Brie Larson, aka the lead in "Short Term 12."  Getting that out of the way, I thought Monroe really brought a lot to her performance and was a smart and fun protagonist to journey along with.  Unlike most lady protagonists in horror films, Jay is quick on her feet, manages to think of ways to escape the invisible being, and even gets her friends to believe that she actually is being terrorized by a creature nobody else can see.  Monroe, along with Keir Gilchrist from "It's Kind of a Funny Story," are charming and engaging enough to keep the audience invested.  However, they're not the best things in the movie in my honest opinion.

The thing that constantly keeps coming to mind when I think of this film is the soundtrack.  Rich Vreeland, better known as "Disasterpiece," has created an eerie, retro, and overall awesome collection of music that pays tribute to the great and atmospherically creepy horror films of the 1980's.  The music itself is reminiscent of recent homages to the films of the 1980's, as well as some of my personal favorites of the decade thus far, "Drive" and "The Guest."  Ironically enough, the latter happens to star Maika Monroe as well.  The songs are pulpy, hypnotic, and get stuck in your head and stay there long after the film's over.  The two standouts on the soundtrack for me were the "Title" track and the song "Detroit."  Both set the tone for this creepy and inventive horror flick.

David Robert Mitchell has made one hell of a horror flick here.  While not necessarily "scary," the film has a constant sense of intensity and suspense at its core, which in return puts fear into the audience.  There's only one remotely cheap jump scare in the movie, because the real scares of the movie come in the fact that you don't know what's going to happen.  There's a scene in particular involving a figure walking in the distance from a group of characters talking that is both intense, frightening, and extremely inventive.  There's even some comedic bits that are present that help to keep the mood light and the audience not constantly covering their eyes.  Not to mention, the cinematography is gorgeous and helps the eerie vibe to be present throughout the film's 94 minute running time.  Despite the ending feeling a little forced in trying to set up for what's to come next, this is definitely a movie that I highly recommend checking out.  It's the most original, intense, and fun horror movie to come out since "The Cabin in the Woods" to me, and something that I strongly recommend you seeking out if and/or when it comes to a theater near you.  Seeing this with an audience is an added bonus to seeing such a great horror movie.