“A homage to John Carpenter movies but more absurd”

Dir: David Robert Mitchell

Prod: Rebecca Green, Laura D. Smith, David Kaplan, David Robert Mitchell

Writ: David Robert Mitchell

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

It Follows is a 2015 horror movie that garnered a lot of early praise from critics, with some calling it “original,” “an instant classic,” and even a “masterpiece” that “will scare the crap out of you.” Naturally, I was excited and included it on my list of most anticipated films for 2015, alongside Jurassic World and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. After watching it, I was still have high expectations, but is it as good as the hype suggested? No, it’s a good horror film and I’m having a great time, but not quite the masterpiece or terrifying experience critics made it out to be.

Let’s start with the positives: for a horror debut, David Robert Mitchell (who also directed the excellent neo-noir Under the Silver Lake) does a fantastic job with the direction. The film has a beautiful, artsy approach with a slow burn that may not be for everyone, but if you appreciate a gradual build-up and a strong story, this is a good horror movie. The subject matter, which revolves around sex, isn’t just about pleasure but also serves as a warning to teenagers and young people about the dangers of sex. The acting from Maika Monroe as Jay is amazing. She’s charming, cute, and innocent. You really feel for her and understand her struggles, and her performance conveys the paranoia and fear she experiences throughout the film. You genuinely care and worry about her character.

However, there are some mixed aspects. The cinematography, by Mike Gioulakis (who also worked with M. Night Shyamalan on Old and Glass), is mostly great, but some shots feel a bit cheap. Keep in mind, The First Saw had the same budget of around $1 million, yet it still looked like a professional film and had less location. Here, some shots look fantastic, while others are just okay, which can be distracting at times. The music and certain shots are clearly reminiscent of the original Halloween by John Carpenter, almost beat for beat in some scenes, such as the one with an elderly woman in a classroom. While It Follows is competently made, it does feel like it’s borrowing a lot from Halloween and this can be a bit of a conflicted. It’s a good film, but it also raises nagging question like “Haven’t I seen this before?” and just like when I watch the first Den of Thieves there is a sense “I’ve seen this before.”

As for the negatives, the acting from Jay’s friends, including her sister, is disappointing. It’s unclear whether the issue lies with the script or the direction, but even Keir Gilchrist, who I loved in Dead Silence, feels off here. It’s a shame because some of the newcomers have potential, but only Maika Monroe really shines. Even the guy she sleeps with is a bit of a stereotype. The tone of the movie is another issue. The premise about a sexually transmitted ghost is already ridiculous, yet the film takes itself too seriously. This conflicted tone makes it less scary than critics raving about. It’s not the terrifying experience I was expecting, and I still wondering why the critics were overhyping it.

So, is It Follows overhyped? Yes. But if you’re looking for a good, original horror movie that also pays homage to past films and offers a cautionary tale about the dangers of sex, it’s worth watching. And with a sequel start shooting this year, I hope it improves on the first film, much like Den of Thieves 2: Pantera did. The first movie had so much potential but ended up as just a “pretty good” film. Still, it’s worth a watch, especially for the important themes it explores. It may not be scary, but it does have some positive aspects you can take away from it.

My Rating: B