THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
"It doesn't think. It doesn't feel. It doesn't give up."
I have only been a writer for the site for about a month or two and I've only wrote three other reviews. I don't consider myself a writer but I do enjoy a good movie. Reading through the website, I've noticed its (for the most part) sequels, prequels, and remakes, but am I the only one getting sick to death of the same old movies? I mean seriously, who wants to see another zombie or vampire flick? I know I don't. That being said, I am taking this opportunity to talk about IT FOLLOWS. In this review I'm just going to point out things I absolutely LOVED about the film and things that I didn't really care for, nor did I fully understand. So lets get started..
The movie is made to look like an 80's slasher. It even has the electric score. Reminded me a lot of Halloween in more ways than one. The cinematography was great. The story was well thought out. The acting was spot on. IT FOLLOWS is just an all around great movie. Very original. One of my favorite things about IT FOLLOWS was the lack of jump scares. Don't get me wrong, I like jump scares if done properly, but this movie only had one or two and they were both done well. This movie genuinely terrified me. I enjoy films that make me want to look over my shoulder after leaving the Theater. IT FOLLOWS did just that. Whatever this thing is, definitely plays with paranoia. No gore needed.
Another thing I liked about this film is that it jumps right into the story. It doesn't drag on and keep us wondering when something is going to happen. The movie starts off with a teen who is clearly running from something that we cant see. This obviously grabs my attention, along with everyone else in the theater. Figuring out that this thing cant be out-run, she calls her dad and leaves him a voice mail, almost like a suicide note. She clearly knows shes about to die and well...she did. Her body was mangled. Pretty awesome stuff if you ask me.
Another thing I really enjoyed about the movie was you never find out what It is. You learn early on that whatever It is can be passed from person to person by having sex. Yup, it's basically an STD. I guess some are calling it a Sexually Transmitted Demon and since that's pretty much what It sounds like, we will go with that. Jay is our main character. She seems like a quiet, teen girl and like most teen girls, she is dating this fella named Hugh. After a few dates they end up doing the wild thing and BOOM she wakes up tied to chair. Hugh tells her that she will be followed by this thing. He has no idea what this thing is and all he knows is that It will do everything in its power to get to her, but its not something that will just appear out of nowhere. It doesn't run, It doesn't speak. It could look like a complete stranger or someone you love. Whatever It needs to get close to you. He also tells her NOT to let It touch her and all she has to do is sleep with someone else to get rid of It but, of course, there's a catch. If she sleeps with someone else and It kills that person, It comes back down the line. I'll be the first to tell you that this thing creeps me the hell out. It walks at a steady, slow pace and just lurks into frame. Most of the time I was watching everyone in the background and not the main characters, themselves.
The only big issue I had with the movie was that it seemed to contradict itself. Hugh tells us in the beginning NOT TO LET IT TOUCH YOU. Well in three different parts of the movie it seemed to get Its hands on someone and didn't kill them right away. To me, this was a major disappointment but not too much to do any real harm to the outcome of the movie. Honestly, I don't think the film could have ended any better than it did. I wont give anything away but the ending is pretty unbelievable. So many questions left unanswered and that is exactly how it should have ended.
Overall, I give IT FOLLOWS....
4.5/ 5 stars
GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!