FILM REVIEW: IT FOLLOWS (15)

Horror Film + Sex = Death

Fellow horror fans will know that having sex in a scary film will result in bad things – usually a horrible and gruesome death. This is most definitely the case for those that feature in It Follows, which is a modern classic from writer-director, David Robert Mitchell.

It Follows centres around Jay (Maika Monroe), a high-school student who’s recently started dating a guy named Hugh (Jake Weary). One date sees the young couple getting hot and heavy in his car, which consequently leads to the girl being pursued by a demon.

Unbeknown to Jay until it’s too late, her date had been consistently followed by an evil force. Sleeping with Jay meant that he had passed the curse on to her. The demon would now slowly walk in her direction, no matter where she is, and never stopping until she sleeps with somebody else – passing the curse onto them. But that’s the last thing she wants to do. So, with the help of her friends, Jay must find another way to escape the horrors that are only a few steps behind her.

The best and perhaps worst thing about this flick is the fact that it’s made to look like a movie from the late 70’s – something that John Carpenter would have made back in the day. Being one of those people that often says, ‘They don’t make them like they used to,’ I loved the retro vibe. Even the music was made to sound like the classic horrors I grew up watching. But this won’t be for everybody. Walk into the cinema expecting a modern (polished) tale of terror and it’ll be 50/50 as to whether you’ll enjoy the experience.

I also liked the fact that there are plenty of moments throughout the film where you think something scary is going to happen – and certainly would have in most horrors – but no, not a cheap thrill in sight. Instead, Mitchell chose to slowly build up the suspense, releasing the tension when he felt like it and often when you least expect it – resulting in some genuinely terrifying moments.

To complement the Director further, he clearly made It Follows with love, which is something I haven’t seen with this particular genre for a long time.

See this truly scary film and much more at Showcase Cinema, Peterborough. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas UK’

Mikey Clarke

Genre: Horror

Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi & Lili Sepe

Running Time: 1hr 34 mins

Written/Directed by: David Robert Mitchell

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