She has no idea...

Rating: 7/10 (7 November 2017)

Is it too early to say there is a renaissance of horror movies going on? One thing is for sure: in the last few years we've experienced more than a few smart, well-made spookies coming from the US. And it's such a big relief to see that, apparently, the sh*t-show of endless jump-scares seems to be kind of over. So, alongside the fairly good "The Conjuring" and the fairly great "The Babadook", we can now add to the list of good American contemporary horror "It Follows": as the previous two, in fact, it shows what a good script, creative directing and pretty solid performances can do to the genre. Starting from the script, it has a beautiful simplicity to it: there's a non specified entity that follows the cursed and if "it" gets to them, it kills them; only way to get out of it is to pass the curse on to someone else through sexual intercourse. Alongside this thin but solid premise, Mitchell showcases simple, credible dialog and well-rounded characters. The chosen stage for the story is the declined city of Detroit: another spectral aspect that perfectly fits with the ghostly presence of the title. Sure, the group of teens that form the core characters of the movie are nothing short of the classic stereotyped nerds, jocks and so on, but they are enriched with a sort of ambiguity and uncertainty in their actions that's almost never seen in this genre. It's also noticeable how Mitchell leaves some important moments in the narrative out of the viewer's reach, with underlying meanings. It is not easy to work as an artist and not as an exploiter of mindless teenagers looking for a thrill in the horror industry, but Mitchell and his team worked out an unflinching film, that doesn't care to be too innovative, and yet modernizes classic '80s style creeps. It (see what I did there?) may not appeal to more gore or shock oriented moviegoers, but it's their loss. And it is because "It Follows" is the smartest horror in years.
8/10