Before 2016’s Stanger Things took 80’s nostalgia to the nth degree, 2014’s It Follows was able to prove that making an 80’s style movie in the modern day can indeed be done. Don’t get me wrong, It Follows isn’t a derivative work. Rather, it takes an interesting concept and reframes it in a way that allows for it to work at its best. And that way just happens to be in the vein of horror movies of that era, most notably Halloween. Because, honestly, how else can a movie about a sexually transmitted demon be made?
‘It Follows’ (2014) – For 19-year-old Jay, fall should be about school, boys and weekends out at the lake. But after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter, she finds herself plagued by strange visions and the inescapable sense that someone, or something, is following her. Faced with this burden, Jay and her teenage friends must find a way to escape the horrors that seem to be only a few steps behind.
Yes, you read that right. The story revolves around a girl who has been given a demon after a night with a boy, who then informs her that she must either pass the demon onto someone else or be killed by “It” whenever it catches up to her. No big twists, no looming confrontation, it is just a simple story of simmering horror.
“Okay, like I told you, all you can do is pass it on to someone else.”
It is in how the movie presents itself, however, that brings a refreshing familiarity to it. The clear, well-shot cinematography of decrepit Detroit, the pleasing score of throwback synth, the nonchalant characters who still take the plot seriously – if you find yourself wondering if this was a lost gem of the past you certainly won’t be alone.
Whether you find you find it as just a simple scare, or you find it as a deeper movie about the inevitability of death, you’ll be glad that you saw this time displaced work.
