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There is an old quote that says "it's impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes." And, as cheeky and bleakly amusing as the quote might be, the sad thing is that even taxes are not certain, but death certainly is. We are born, we live, and then we die. That's it. What we do in the process will vary, but the end will undoubtedly be the same, regardless of the decisions we take down the road. That sentiment seems to be at the core of David Robert Mitchell's breakthrough hit It Follows.
The film follows Jay (Maika Monroe), a young college student that is haunted by a supernatural presence after a sexual encounter with new boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary). Terrified by it, Jay tries to fend off this presence, whatever it is, with the help of her sister Kelly, and friends Paul, Yara, and Greg.
The disturbing thing is that this *presence* "could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you", which obviously makes it all the more difficult to avoid. Even though Jake shares some thoughts about how you can be "free" of it, there's no assurance. Its arrival is, well, certain and there's little they can do about it.
With a budget of barely over a million dollars, director and writer David Robert Mitchell relies more on an eerie mood and a dread-filled atmosphere to keep us on our toes. There are a couple of well executed jump-scares, but the key is a constant sense of fear and danger lurking around every corner which is definitely effective. This is transmitted especially by Monroe, who takes a subdued but confident approach to her character.
I wish the film would've been more clearer with the connections to Jay's father (which were never clear to me), I wish the film was a bit more edgy, I wish Mitchell would've dared to push his limits a bit further. Regardless of that, I found this to be a pretty solid effort, with good performances, a great story and atmosphere, and some cool camerawork. That is certain.
Grade:
IT FOLLOWS
(2014, Mitchell)
A film with a title that starts with the letters I or J
(2014, Mitchell)
A film with a title that starts with the letters I or J
"But the most terrible agony may not be in the wounds themselves, but in knowing for certain
that within an hour, then within ten minutes, then within half a minute, now at this very instant... your soul will leave your body, and you will no longer be a person, and that is certain; The worst thing is that it is certain."
that within an hour, then within ten minutes, then within half a minute, now at this very instant... your soul will leave your body, and you will no longer be a person, and that is certain; The worst thing is that it is certain."
There is an old quote that says "it's impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes." And, as cheeky and bleakly amusing as the quote might be, the sad thing is that even taxes are not certain, but death certainly is. We are born, we live, and then we die. That's it. What we do in the process will vary, but the end will undoubtedly be the same, regardless of the decisions we take down the road. That sentiment seems to be at the core of David Robert Mitchell's breakthrough hit It Follows.
The film follows Jay (Maika Monroe), a young college student that is haunted by a supernatural presence after a sexual encounter with new boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary). Terrified by it, Jay tries to fend off this presence, whatever it is, with the help of her sister Kelly, and friends Paul, Yara, and Greg.
The disturbing thing is that this *presence* "could look like someone you know or it could be a stranger in a crowd. Whatever helps it get close to you", which obviously makes it all the more difficult to avoid. Even though Jake shares some thoughts about how you can be "free" of it, there's no assurance. Its arrival is, well, certain and there's little they can do about it.
With a budget of barely over a million dollars, director and writer David Robert Mitchell relies more on an eerie mood and a dread-filled atmosphere to keep us on our toes. There are a couple of well executed jump-scares, but the key is a constant sense of fear and danger lurking around every corner which is definitely effective. This is transmitted especially by Monroe, who takes a subdued but confident approach to her character.
I wish the film would've been more clearer with the connections to Jay's father (which were never clear to me), I wish the film was a bit more edgy, I wish Mitchell would've dared to push his limits a bit further. Regardless of that, I found this to be a pretty solid effort, with good performances, a great story and atmosphere, and some cool camerawork. That is certain.
Grade: