Although set in the present, David Robert Mitchell's creepy horror film pays homage to past genre classics, particularly Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Pretty blonde high school student Jay (Maika Monroe) has sex with a guy in his car, only to discover that the dude has passed along a curse: a murderous shape-shifter, invisible to everyone but its quarry, has been stalking him but will now pursue her instead, and the only way she can rid herself of the apparition is to pass the affliction to another person through sex. The majority of the film is devoted to Jay's efforts to stay at least one step ahead of the stalker, who appears randomly in various forms—an old woman, a cheerleader, a naked man on a roof, and so on—while her friends look on incredulously and try to help. All efforts to flee from danger prove ineffective, however, because while the entity may be slow-moving, it's also preternaturally persistent, inevitably showing up no matter where the teens takes refuge—so they set up a trap. It Follows can certainly be seen as a metaphor about the dangers of STDs, but it also works as a simple chiller, notable for its lack of gore or extravagant special effects, relying instead on methodical pacing and a dreamlike, hallucinatory ambience to create an unsettling mood. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a critics' commentary hosted by critic Scott Weinberg, an interview with composer Disasterpeace (5 min.), a poster art gallery, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a fine horror film.] (F. Swietek)
It Follows
Anchor Bay, 100 min., R, DVD: $26.98, Blu-ray: $29.99, July 14 Volume 30, Issue 4
It Follows
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