Review: It Follows

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Worst. STD. Ever.

Jay (Maika Monroe) has what starts off as a normal sexual encounter with a boy, Hugh (Jake Weary) she's been dating. Only after they are finished, he informs her that he has passed something onto her. "It" is going to follow her. It will always be a person walking directly towards her, and it will move slow. She can't let It touch her, or else she's dead, and he's dead too as it will go back to him. Her only hope is to pass it to someone else and to get the chain away from her. Jay is conflicted on giving another person this terrifying death sentence. Then there's the fact that she has to convince her sister, Kelly (Lili Sepe) and her friends Paul (Keir Gilchrist) and Yara (Olivia Luccardi) to believe her. 

The thing that stands out the most in this film is the score. It almost becomes it's own character in the film, the way Susperia's did. It's booming and ominous and adds so much more. I absolutely loved it. This film is very creepy. It's not gory and there's maybe one or two jump scares, but it really builds tension well and you can feel Jay's constant paranoia. It may walk slowly, but damn if that isn't the scariest walk I've seen in awhile.

I thought Monroe was perfect for this role. Jay is very unsure of herself and doesn't make the best decisions, and I thought she portrayed that uneasiness very well. I was a big fan of Gilchrist in It's Kind of a Funny Story, and it was nice to see him in something again. The film suffers from choppy editing at times, but really ends up being one of the better horror movies I've seen in years. I'm glad they went the R rated route as well. This could've easily ended up a PG-13 film and it would not have worked as well.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B+

Memorable Quote: "I should've been nicer to you." - Greg (Daniel Zovatto)


Comments

  1. MyerlaMarch 31, 2015 at 1:21 PM

    Heard so much positive stuff about this, but never got round to actually seeing. I heard it will be released on VOD soonish in America, hopefully the same will happen here.

    and yes, Susperia's score was amazing. I look forward to this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MyerlaMarch 31, 2015 at 1:23 PM

      Just checked...21st of June. Damn...too long. My fault for missing it the cinema, I guess.

      Delete
    2. Brittani BurnhamMarch 31, 2015 at 4:01 PM

      21 June for VOD? That sounds about right. It was just released in theaters here.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMarch 31, 2015 at 2:23 PM

    Ermahgerd! Worst STD Ever is like the greatest first line you've ever put to one of your reviews!!!

    This trailer looked so dumb and yet every review is so positive that I'm kind of dying to see this one now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamMarch 31, 2015 at 3:59 PM

      The trailer doesn't do it justice. It's getting a lot of positive buzz in my area because the producers are from around here, so I'm glad it was better.

      Delete
  3. UnknownMarch 31, 2015 at 3:28 PM

    What a strange premise for a movie. :-) I might need to watch this out of morbid curiosity, especially since you liked it so much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamMarch 31, 2015 at 3:58 PM

      It's a really solid horror movie. Probably one of the best mainstream ones I've seen in awhile.

      Delete
  4. s.March 31, 2015 at 4:10 PM

    I'm so psyched to see this, but the showing times are horrible :/ Monroe is really on the raise, loved her in The Guest

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 1, 2015 at 11:25 AM

      I can forgive her for Labor Day now. lol. I still need to see The Guest. It's in my Netflix queue.

      Delete
  5. RuthMarch 31, 2015 at 4:23 PM

    I've been curious to check this one out. Good thing you mentioned it isn't gory, as I can handle suspense and creepiness, I think anyway. Monroe was good in The Guest, nice to see she got the lead role here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 1, 2015 at 11:24 AM

      Yeah, there's only a couple of scenes with blood in them. I was kind of surprised at how little gore there was.

      Delete
  6. Candice FrederickMarch 31, 2015 at 10:36 PM

    so glad to hear this is good!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 1, 2015 at 11:24 AM

      It is! If you watch it, I hope you like it as well.

      Delete
  7. Kevin PowersApril 1, 2015 at 8:17 PM

    I enjoyed this movie for the reasons you listed and many more. I actually liked it a bit more than you. This is one of the most visually stunning, if not the most visually stunning, horror movies I've ever seen. Great review! And perfect subtitle there, by the way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 2, 2015 at 6:38 AM

      I did like the nods to old horror movies, with the old TVs, afghans, etc. It was almost hard to decide when this movie took place.

      Delete
  8. LukeApril 1, 2015 at 11:56 PM

    Cabin In the Woods, The Conjuring, The Babadook, The Guest, now It Follows. Horror seems like it is having a renaissance lately and I love it. Maikia Monroe was great in this just as she was in The Guest. She is going to be revered as a genre queen in the future.

    Nice review! One thing I had a bit trouble with was, as you said, the choppy editing. In particular when she see the three guys on the boat and goes in the water. Then we cut. It seemed abrupt and weird.

    Still, miles ahead of shit like Insidious 3 and Unfriended.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 2, 2015 at 6:38 AM

      I never got a chance to see The Babadook, I'm waiting for that one to come out on DVD. I'm looking forward to it.

      Delete
  9. .April 2, 2015 at 8:29 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 2, 2015 at 8:51 AM

      Yes! I really only counted two jump scares, that scene, and the one with the ball hitting the window. Otherwise they didn't use any. That was nice.

      Delete
  10. JoshApril 3, 2015 at 1:04 PM

    Oh, now I want to check this out. What you said about the score is really intriguing, especially since I adore the music from Suspiria.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 4, 2015 at 6:54 AM

      The score in this film is so awesome. You definitely should see it. Easily one of the best horror movies to come out recently.

      Delete
  11. UnknownApril 8, 2015 at 11:54 PM

    I must admit that although I loved this movie, it is truly not that terrifying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamApril 9, 2015 at 8:30 AM

      I thought it was very creepy. Tall guy and old lady did it for me.

      Delete

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