It Follows

Spoiler Alert!

Original and terrifying, It Follows gives us an entity with many faces - a curse to be bestowed upon one, transferable through sex. Horror films have often utilised a sexually transmitted conceit - playing on our fears of real-world sexual contraction. Taking a subtler approach with It Follows, the film-makers have successfully given us a parable which stays long in the memory.

Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, It Follows begins with one such victim of the curse running scared around suburbia, evading an invisible (to the audience at least) entity. By the end of the opening act, we discover the fate which awaits all who come into contact with the curse.

Shortly there after we're introduced to Jay (Maika Monroe), a high-school graduate with a close group of friends - sweet on a guy who she's prepared to take the next step with. Before you can yell, "Steer clear, girl!", the deed is done! Awaking from a chloroform attack, Jay finds herself tied to a wheelchair, with her lovely new beau explaining what's gonna happen to her next. A naked woman soon approaches, intent on chasing Jay down (all be it at a creepily slow pace). Despite bestowing an horrific curse on her, Jays new fella decides to give her the heads-up on her bedevilled new existence (bless him)!

Suitably shocked but less than convinced, Jay returns to her friends and family and continues on her path. Before long another ghostly figure approaches (a former victim perhaps?). After several disturbing encounters, Jay tracks down her former lay, along with her friends to discover more.
Various things are learnt, not least is the fact that others who contract the curse and pass it on are a link in an ever-expanding chain - accountable and in danger, should the curse find it's way back to them. What follows are various attempts at out-manoeuvring and out-smarting this perpetual menace.

After a fantastic build and various inventive encounters with the antagonist(s), the final act is a little too subtle for its own good. The formula of ridding the curse by passing it on is repeated once too often and the final denouement is unclear (there's a suggestion that the curse has been passed to a prostitute or two)? Ultimately our main protagonist (Jay) continues on with her life - new boyfriend and fellow curse(y) in toe. One has to assume that together they are living with the curse - supporting one another, as many victims of sexually incurable disease the world over have to do.

It Follows is a great little horror movie with a fantastic premise. David Robert Mitchell, along with his cast and crew have brought sexually transmitted infection to the fore once again. These issues continue to be relevant and will hopefully spark conversation (and dare I say it, action)! Interestingly there's no mention of contraception throughout the films entirety - surely this would have made for an interesting plot device, if nothing else? The fact that it's been jettisoned altogether is a tad irresponsible to my mind.

Dour though the ending might be, It Follows proves once again that you don't need blood and guts or even digital effects to scare an audience. More often its those primal fears which concern us most. Mistakes made in the heat of passion and the inevitability of our own demise continue to be foremost on our minds!

4/5


Poster image courtesy: https://uk.pinterest.com