Movie review: 'It Follows' is slow but thrashes clichés

Genre: Horror

Rating: ***1/2

Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist

Director: David Robert Mitchell

Language: English

Hurray for filmmakers who decide to step out and thrash clichés and produce the occasional gems that are such a treat. It Follows is one such example that puts a smile on the faces of horror fans sick and tired of "A-bunch-of-dumb-teenagerswent-to-a-forest-and-threemonths-later-their-bodieswere-found-with-a-videocamera" stories. And not to forget the ones where Satan himself subjects unsuspecting characters and moviegoers to unbelievable punishment.

It Follows follows none of these trends and we have a story that may not be the freshest bread from the oven (The Ring fans will know), it is interesting, to say the least. This tale has Jay (Monroe) being 'infected' by a curse after a sexual encounter with her date and then the frights follow. The curse — an entity creepily follows the victim and if it catches up, game over. The remedy — pass on the curse to the next person by having sex with him/her.

Scary? Not if you needed to be told once again that STDs are terrifying. The scares are few and rarely the kind that makes you want to jump out of your seat, but that, once again, is a good thing. It Follows wins on the very creepiness the title suggests. The pace is painfully slow, intentionally making the viewer uncomfortable and is well supported by the music. The cinematography succeeds in bringing out an ambience that is cold and menacing.

It Follows might not be etched in your memory for long, but it is a commendable effort. Go for it if you're a fan of the genre and enjoy unusual storytelling. While you're at it, wonder if there is an unintentional Stephen King worship here.

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