It Doesn't Think. It Doesn't Feel. It Doesn't Give Up. It Follows.

Rating: Null/10 (5 June 2015)

Retro in style, accomplished in production & very effective in execution, It Follows is an expertly crafted, skilfully narrated & ingeniously composed indie horror which arrives as a refreshing take on its genre that beautifully blends the aesthetics of John Carpenter films with contemporary indie settings to deliver a cinema that's creepy, sinister & downright chilling.
It Follows tells the story of Jay; a college student whose life is turned upside down when, after an innocent sexual encounter, she's informed by her date that he passed on a curse to her, the curse being a supernatural entity which will now be pursuing her at all times & the only probable way to get rid of it is to pass the curse along to others before the entity gets to her.
Written & directed by David Robert Mitchell, the film manages to create an impending sense of doom within its opening moments & never lets it settle down until the end credits start rolling. The screenplay also deserves a mention because the story, despite its laughable premise, isn't paper-thin but digs much deeper than expected & can be interpreted in more ways than one.
Coming to the technical aspects, It Follows makes efficient use of its resources, starting with the 80s vibe it is able to evoke with its detailed set pieces & remote locations. The way its camera uses the stillness, 360-degree pans & slow zooms make the experience all the more unsettling. And Editing is a gem in itself that paces its 100 minutes of runtime in a very controlled manner.
But the best thing about It Follows is its magnificent score. Composed by Disasterpeace & comprising of heavily synthesised tracks, the soundtrack contributes greatly in sustaining the film's nail-biting tension & amplifying its suspense. Coming to the performances which isn't really the film's strongest suit, Maika Monroe is possibly the only one who manages to make her mark, even if it happens in bits n pieces.
Despite all that, I can't help but feel quite underwhelmed by the whole experience because, considering the universal acclaim it has garnered ever since it made its debut on the silver screen, I expected much more than what it had in store. It's not that what it offers isn't impressive, it's actually pretty amazing to be honest, but that abrupt ending was quite unexpected & certainly leaves behind a feeling of incompleteness.
On an overall scale, It Follows is in every way a welcome addition to its genre that never abandons its menacing tone for some cheap thrills and certainly carries more substance than the majority of horror films released in the past few years. Even if this minimalist horror isn't frightening on a visceral scale, the fearsome aura it is able to generate over the course of its runtime is sure to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats. Definitely recommended.