Movie Review – It Follows

Jay (Maika Monroe) becomes intimately involved with a seemingly nice guy only to discover she has made the biggest mistake of her life. Jay soon learns that having sex with him will have grave consequences. There is a curse that is passed person-to-person through the act of sex. This curse brings forth an entity that will hunt the person down wherever they are, never stopping until it kills its victim. This entity, who can only been seen by the person it’s hunting, can even take the form of a familiar face. The only defense against the curse is to pass it along to someone else…via sex. It then becomes somebody else’s problem. Unfortunately, if the curse kills its victim, it then reverts to the last person again.

The premise of It Follows is quite simple, but if you allow yourself to really think about it, the implications are quite frightening. Assuming you are lucky enough to pass the curse on, you then must hope that the person you gave it to is resourceful enough to survive, otherwise you’re back in the crosshairs. This vicious circle continues on and on to the point where one might just welcome death. It is that revelation that gives this film its edge. No matter how safe you think you might be, you would always have to look over your shoulder.

Everything about It Follows was a pleasant surprise. The acting is better than expected. While Maika Monroe has not been in many movies, she has made the best of this opportunity. Her most recent appearance was in last year’s The Guest and she performed quite admirably in it as well. The actress thrives in tense roles and may have found her niche in feature films. Metro Detroit director, David Robert Mitchell, squeezed the most out of his performers.

It Follows does not come off as yet another cheesy slasher flick. It’s well thought out and gives just enough suspense to keep its edge. Fans of the genre should appreciate what’s been done here. Those viewers who don’t consider themselves horror fans, might also find this one entertaining. It is not over-the-top violent or too scary to the point where you might bury your face in your hands. Overall, I would say that It Follows is definitely worth the time it takes to watch it.