It Follows

✅ 1st Watch | 2014 Ranked | Horror Ranked "There are certain rules one must abide by in order to successfully survive a horror movie. For instance, number one: You can never have sex. BIG NO NO. BIG NO. Sex equals death." And then, the first rule was broken... It Follows wasn't an incredible film overall, but it was definitely scary. When it comes to horror movies, there are two things that scare me the most: Isolation and a looming threat. And as a result, utilizing a simple formula called "isolation + looming threat = scary" is automatically going to make me more scared than other horror movies, even if the monster can only move at a snail's pace. In the words of Alfred Hitchcock, "There is no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it." That quote encapsulates exactly how I feel about It Follows. Sure, there were definitely some "bangs" that got a thrill out of me. However, it was the moments where the characters were simply waiting and hiding out that I was the most terrified. This is why the climax was the weakest part of the film. It simply just wasn't that scary. One thing that It Follows did remarkably well was the cinematography. The slow wide pans were unconventional, but they did a great job at emulating the movement of It. With each shot, the audience felt the looming threat of this allegory for STD's come closer and closer to claiming its victim. The visuals were definitely on point in It Follows, especially pertaining to the production design. Overall, It Follows isn't a horror masterpiece, but it definitely was a scary film altogether. Due to the nature of the monster/antagonist, there is never really a time where protagonist is safe. Despite the protagonist always having people follow her, the film does a remarkable job at still making her feel isolated. And with a good score, unconventional but unsettling cinematography, and great acting, It Follows works as a horror film and has clearly left its mark on horror cinema given the recent release of Smile (which I actually liked). ⬅️ Previous Review: Halloween