See what it would be like if one of your greatest fears is realized...

Rating: 8/10 (4 August 2017)

There are so many reviews here and a lot has already been said, but I'd like to focus on what I think is the core and root of the terror in this film. I can say for sure that the following situation has happened to almost everyone, especially in their childhood: Imagine you're all alone in the house, sitting on the couch. All of a sudden you get one of those paranoid frights that the combination of silence, idleness, and being alone bring. Your eyes turn to the half open door of a room, or to the top of the wooden stairs behind you. You feel a sudden chill. You can't look away. What if someone, or something, comes in through that door or down the stairs? What's it gonna be like? What's it gonna do to me? What will I do? Can I evade it and get out of the house? etc. The fear keeps chewing at your soul until someone finally arrives and you're off the hook. Would you like to see and feel what it would be like if such a thing could become an actual threat, something real, and much more terrifying than you could have imagined? That is something It Follows skillfully manages to pull off. It's a nightmarish ride, slow but captivating. It doesn't shock you with a sudden 200-volt electrical current, but it makes sure you're connected to a low-voltage one throughout the movie. Its against-the-grain approach to the concept of horror gets a hold on you, one that would probably stick with you long after you're done watching it. Sure, the premise might seem to be no different than a cliché horror flick; a girl infected by a demonic entity transmitted through sexual intercourse, the usual scenario where a couple of teenagers struggle with a curse and go searching for clues to figure out how to get rid of it. It Follows, however, is much more than that. It's like a tiny little bug that's placed on your palm. It appears harmless at first, but while you're unaware, it slowly crawls into your ear and your brain, infecting you with a bone-chilling thought. It's by no means perfect, of course. There are plot holes that might occur to you after you're done watching it, and at times the rhythm becomes annoyingly dull and slow. It's not perfect, but it doesn't need to be. It does what it intends to do quite well, and frankly, with such a budget, it's more than acceptable. If you're into horror of the psychological kind, you will definitely get enjoyment out of this film. If it doesn't happen the first time you watch it, it will probably come to you once you give it serious thought or watch it a second time. Long story short, it's a genuine and admirable attempt at psychological horror, a la Babadook!