It Follows

"It Follows" is hands down one of the most important films of 2015 that is what many critics are calling a "must see". And there is no exaggeration by that two worded phrase; everything from the simplicity of the plot line to the cinematography accounts the film as one of the best horror films that has come out in ages.

Director David Robert Mitchell has come out of the blue from his 2011 coming-of-age film "The Myth of the American Sleepover" to deliver this frightening tale that makes every bright and dark landscape an absolutely horrifying and paranoid ridden cut of extravaganza. A little summary of the film is well due: Jay (played wonderfully by Maika Monroe) has an innocent evening out with her date, Hugh (Jake Weary). A sexual encounter leads her to have a supernatural entity following her at random times no matter where she is. That entity is simply referred to as "It".

As simple as that plot sounds, this allowed Mitchell to focus squarely on such a basic premise in full form. I remember the first time It appeared on screen and we got to get a good look at It. So many questions buzzed in my head regarding It.

What could it do? How does it work? What forms does it come in? Can it die? Can it even breathe? What is IT?

All those questions and more made me simply want to watch the film with wide eyes and full detail. One bit I can tell you without spoiling too much is that It can take multiple human shapes; a gardener, an employee at a pizza restaurant, hell, It can even mock one of your own family members.

No matter what time of day it is, It can follow you and appear out of nowhere. This is where the fright faction comes into play. It doesn't display any emotion; it only follows you at a slow pace, its legs moving at an even rhythm, however, It also always looks a little out of place and downright disturbing.

The concept of It is only backed by the failing psychological levels of Jay, as she and her friends (Paul, played by Keir Gilchrist; Greg, played by Daniel Zovatto; Kelly, played by Lili Sepe and Yara, played by Olivia Luccardi), both see her as being insane but true to her word. It was nice to see their bond of friendship already glued together, first thinking that Jay was suffering a few mental problems from her night with Hugh, to honestly believing that something was stalking her.

The camera angles were much to be talked about, as well. There were a lot of moments where you were constantly looking over the shoulders of the characters to see if It was lurking somewhere in the background; I'm sure there are moments in the film where It was present that I missed. That's also another element that kept the film so attractive; you just could not take your eyes off screen in fear of missing the slightest thing.

The real kick in this movie comes from the soundtrack by Disasterpeace. This musician has become known for his works on video games such as the award winning Fez, but his works contain much, much more than that. Anyway, his score for this soundtrack is absolutely pulse pumping tunes that really get you in the moment, and the music is used wonderfully in the film. From making you think It is lurking in the background, to providing the perfect hallowed underlying synth as the action is moved to slow-mo and all you see is It, this soundtrack made sure that there was never a dull moment in "It Follows".

In all honesty, this is a movie that I will forever and ever love for such a long time. It's premise is so simple, and yet it is pulled off so elegantly. Sure, it really isn't the scariest, jump out of your chair horror film that I've seen, but it sure has the elements to make you feel unsafe even in your most reinforced bunkers. "It Follows" deserves every amount of praise I have given it, and everyone involved in this project deserves the utmost respect for pulling this film off so well.