It Follows (2015).

Have you seen the hype for this film? I have noticed it has been making quite the buzz in horror circles and with film fans alike. After looking a little deeper into it, 'It Follows' seems to split genre fans right down the middle. Many complain about the lack of anything happening, the slow pace the film moves at, or the ambiguity of the ending. They seem to ignore the retro-sensibilities, the creepy and absorbing atmosphere and the amazing soundtrack that accompanies the film.

After a sexual encounter, Jay finds herself haunted by, well, it is never explained what 'it' is, and this is another way the film gets under your skin. Not knowing who the creature will appear as (it can take the form of anyone it chooses) means paranoia runs deep throughout the movie. People in the background soon grab your attention, and you are always aware of the characters placement, worrying about if they could escape from the supernatural entity that has latched onto them and is chasing them down to murder them in a disturbing manner that bought to mind Chad Ferrin's 'Someone's Knocking on the Door' at one point in the film.

I found that 'It Follows' mirrors a lot of John Carpenter's work from the 70s. There are even subtle nods to Halloween, most noticeably when Jay is sitting at her desk in high school and peers out of the window, and sees something incredibly strange. Both the music (a beautiful and eerie synth score by Disasterpeace) and the lack of gore, and reliance on tension and suspense also take the viewer back to a time when horror was atmospheric, steeped in dread and making the viewer incredibly uncomfortable.

I have deliberately not described any plot-points of the film, or given a detailed synopsis as I feel that going in to this movie knowing as little as possible will make the viewing that much more enjoyable. A horror film that truly manages to chill to the bone, and also make literal the old horror movie rule that sex equals death, 'It Follows' is a film that more than lives up to the hype, and as long as you aren't expecting some choppily-edited gorefest, then 'It Follows' will leave you watching your back, terrified of what might be following you.

Darkest regards......Dani.