Greg Strasz . Horror movie fans lovers, straight-up warning you there are a lot of spoilers for It Follows (2015) in this review. WHY?). Even if you try to solve it. Not a day older. , a column dedicated to the most pulse-pounding moments in horror. The music crescendos with a pulsing beat, signaling that a scare looms near. They plan on luring the entity into the pool and then electrocuting it. Victims Annie Marshall - Bled to death after the Entity tore her legs in half. ", Now for the biggest question of all, what is It? The Entity, or It, is the name given to the otherwise unnamed main antagonist in the 2014 horror film, It Follows. We just made it up. Many signs point to it being a period piece. Why does this prove he killed himself? As Jay struggles to stay afloat, her friends intervene. In a few brief scenes throughout the film, we see photographs of younger versions of Jay and Kelly with the same man that It looks like in the end. Your pulse never changes during the initial viewing, and a week later, you barely remember the experience. This scene marks the first time the eponymous "it" invades Jay's home and personal space. It didn't rape Greg to death. The moment of relief gets punctuated by a music sting and the startling appearance of a tall man from the darkened room just behind Yara. Lastly, the way the girls leg is snapped at the beginning of the film and how Paul goes flying when he tries to hit the entity with a lawn chair also tells us that It is very strong and can therefore eventually make its way through most barriers. It Follows (2014) - The arrival of a tall man Watch on Alone, Jay cautiously makes her way to the kitchen to see the damage for herself. Days later, Jay sees the entity in the form of Greg walking towards Greg's house, smashing a window at Greg's house and entering. She turns and is faced with a disheveled woman her age, her clothes torn and missing teeth. Its even got a sweet icemaker in the door. It was supposed to be somewhat subtle, a thing that you might not notice the first time you watch it, but apparently Yara's "shell phone" stood out quite a bit to viewers because they keep asking the director where they can get one. Jay tries to warn the real Greg by telephone, but he does not answer. SPOILERS AHEAD. Alone, Jay cautiously makes her way to the kitchen to see the damage for herself. When Jay gets cursed after a sexual encounter, she finds herself being stalked and tries to grapple with the sinister entity that keeps changing its appearance and showing up unexpectedly. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Here's a guide toIt Follows entity's every form it takes in the movie. The entity didn't just enter her home to claim her, but it exploited her trauma, too. If that's all a fan gets from this film, there's obviously quite a bit that they're missing. [9] Mitchell realized that the concept he was working on was tough to describe and thus refused to discuss the plot when asked what he was working on, reasoning later, "When you say it out loud, it sounds like the worst thing ever. Their quiet conversation gets interrupted by the sound of breaking glass. The police can find no trace of the naked woman or Hugh, as they discover it was a fake identity. Observe: Thats not just what appears to be a 1970s era car. Greg doesn't realize it's not his mom, opens the door, andgets murdered in what's easily It Follows' most disturbing death scene. The monster is still with them, in one form or another, because even if the literal monster is no more, death is still coming for them, and until that happens, this experience will always follow them. Yes, its frustrating when the film fails to answer vital questions, but often the answers are there if you just pay attention. In fact, It Follows is an anti-victim blaming masterpiece that gives a huge middle finger to the genre's antiquated approach to sex. She was well-dressed, perhaps ready to go out, when IT finally got close enough for her to realize it was a threat and she just bolted, ill-equipped footwear be damned. Eventually, Paul is able to shoot it, and they run away. "Whether it's an 'It Follows' sequel or something else, I think he's so insanely talented.". Jay's still reeling from her own assault. It's the disheveled woman's visual that makes this scare so powerful, as Mitchell employs conventional tactics to induce goosebumps between the ominous music stings and slowed down focus on the intended victim. Therefore, Jay refusing to tell her sister Kelly who the entity resembles is a subtle hint that the man that It looks like is someone the girls know. Upon sleeping together, Hugh incapacitates Jay, takes her to an abandoned lot, and explains the rules of the deadly curse he's just inflicted upon her. "[6] On review aggregator website Metacritic, the film has an average rating of 83 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Then Jay swims into the middle of the pool and waits. And how is the monster defeated, at least temporarily? If anyone noticed why the camera lingered for so long on Hugh/Jeff's mom when we finally met her, THAT IS WHY. When the creature enters the pool room during the climax, Jay's sister, Kelly, asks her, "What do you see?" Like a person hiding an STD from their romantic partner, Hugh lies to Jay about the potential repercussions of sleeping with him, and afterwards, he abandons her. She keeps saying There he is! When her sister Kelly asks what it looks like, her response is: I dont wanna tell you. Upon revealing IT, we see a normal-looking man in his late 30s-early 40s. Her inciting consensual experience was savagely undone by Hugh's chloroforming and binding of her before she could even dress. Not only that, but it reveals another layer of the movie's metaphorical stalker. The hell? A "thing" is now following her. And death isn't a giant horrifying monster that's running at you and screaming at the top of its lungs. Let's run down the evidence for each one. After a night of terror Jay, her sister, her neighbor Greg, and their friends all head off to the beach to put some distance between themselves - which if someone had enough resources, could be an easy way to defeat It Follows' curse - and the slow-moving entity. Its meant to show how unprepared she was when confronted with IT. Hugh/Jeff's mom was the naked woman in the abandoned building. Instead of entering the pool, it throws the devices at her. Another idea explored throughout The Idiotis death, and how proximity to and awareness of death changes people. Additionally, we see Kelly throw a sheet over the entity in the films climax so that Paul can see exactly where it is. It's more often presented with a knowing wink in the context of a satiric horror comedies like Scream or The Cabin in the Woods. As Neil Gaiman once said, "If someone tells you what a story is about, they are probably right. After a successful limited release beginning on March 13, 2015, the film had a wide release on March 27, 2015. It certainly makes it more horrifying for me. The entity's imagery as it edges towards Jay leaves a mark, but Mitchell doesn't give his heroine much of a reprieve.Jay cowers in her room, and her loved ones arrive to protect her, either from herself or her unseen foe. Mmm sorry but Word of God did confirm that It rapes to death, is just that the movie probably wasn't going to show it because it would be too graphic, is PG-13 if IIRC. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The group plans to kill the entity by luring it into a swimming pool and dropping electrical appliances into the water. Before he leaves for good, though, he reveals that he's leaving behind a curse for her. For what it's worth, whenever David Robert Mitchell is asked about an anti-sex interpretation of It Followsin interviews, he shoots this reading down pretty definitively, saying specifically that he didn't want to make a "puritanical" film. It Follows is a 2014 American supernatural psychological horror film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell and stars Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi and Lili Sepe. Yara stands relaxed and sleepily in the doorway of Jay's bedroom, inquiring about the commotion. And what does that tell us? And I dont care who you are, that above-ground pool isnt heated so if its cold enough you need that fur-lined getup, you are NOT swimming outside at the same time. The first formIt Follows' entity takes after Hugh has passed the curse on to Jay Height (Maika Monroe) is of a naked middle-aged woman. [22][23] Peter Debruge of Variety gave an overall positive review, saying: "Starting off strong before losing its way in the end, this stylish, suspenseful chiller should significantly broaden Mitchell's audience without disappointing his early supporters in the slightest. The layered clues continue if we consider that the man at the pool house looks exactly the same age as the one in the photographs. Because of this trauma, Jay becomes "haunted" by the event, represented by a monster that now follows her. Sorry to break it to you, but there's definitively, purposefully no answer to these questions. After years of waiting, this is the ending of It Follows, finally explained. Firing blindly into the pool, Paul manages to shoot the creature again in the head, and this time, it stays dead. visual effects supervisor (uncredited) Stunts . It Follows: Explained (Plot Analysis And Ending) Zaraki Kenpachi September 7, 2021 The first film of It Follows was released in 2014, and many other horror movies have since been made based on its story. When a tall man enters the bedroom, Jay flees the house; her friends catch up to her at a nearby playground. Since he also doesn't believe her about the It Follows entity's curse, he's happy to make the "chivalrous" offer to sleep with her and take the curse off her hands. It stares at Jay for a few moments before continuing to knock. "Why don't they drive to Mexico?" One of the more curious forms the entity takes comes after the beach hut, as it becomes a teenage girl and chases after Jay,who responds by hopping into Greg's car. Maybe he left? Greg later remarks that he hasn't seen the creature yet, long after Jay expected it to appear. It Follows is part of a wave of films in the 2010s where horror films aren't just good horror films, but good films period. It was given a limited release in the United States on March 13[15] and a wide release on March 27[16] in 1,200 theaters. Upon realizing that the entity has a physical body and is not just a. So Yara's quote clearly demonstrates how both these works have mortality on their mind. Well, Yara mentions earlier in the film that she's reading The Idiotby Fyodor Dostoevsky, and this passage is indeed from that book. Did you notice that we never see Jays mothers face in full focus? Jay cowers in her room, and her loved ones arrive to protect her, either from herself or her unseen foe. Even from a far-off distance, the wide angles elicit an exposed vulnerability that builds dread. What answer makes the most sense, given what the film is actually about and what the monster represents? Apart from the literal monster that starts chasing her, what makes Jay's date with Hugh so horrifying isn't the sex, it's the abuse. But not only this: it's the shame that follows you for the rest of your life, that shame reminding you that death is always around the corner, closer, closer. Same man, basically same age, but shes a child. Evidence also points to this form being Jay's grandfather, who's seen in a family photo earlier in the movie. One day, death will catch you. Related: Every Form Chucky Has Taken In The Child's Play Series. Look at the Polaroids around her mirror. But perhaps it's because he inadvertently passed the curse along to someone else first. "[26] Ignatiy Vishnevetsky of The A.V. Now that's scary. Jays peach-pink underwear set just scream 1950s. Perhaps the most striking of the entity's disguises in It Follows, the tall man - not to be confused with The Tall Man villain from Phantasm - is a towering figure that terrifies Jay by appearing behind her friend Yara as she walks into Jay's bedroom. That it comes from a completely different and unlikely spot in Jay's house sends the clear message that Death can come from anywhere at any time. Therefore, It is invisible but has a physical form. Therefore, we can piece together that the entity has taken on the likeness of the girls father. Jay's friends ward it off by breaking a chair over its body and Jay shoots it several times until it falls over, but it recovers unharmed and attacks Jay again, this time taking the form of a boy who lives next door to Jay. Speaking of decor, the photos on the wall are mostly black and white portraits. There are 2010-era modern cars but there are vintage cars as well in perfect condition. From the moment Jay's neighbor Greg began offering her help, it was clear he was attracted to her. The next time you watch the movie, whenever there's a scene in Jay's house, check out the pictures on her walls. This form is at least more clothed than usual, but that doesn't make using one of Jay's closest allies any less creepy. She then undresses and walks into the water, though it is unclear if she does anything with them. When you watch It Follows, you might have a hard time figuring out in what decade it's supposed to be set. A ghost? The entity's imagery as it edges towards Jay leaves a mark, but Mitchell doesn't give his heroine much of a reprieve. Screaming, Jay fumbles her way upstairs and locks herself in her room. Back home, Paul, willing to take the risk, offers Jay the opportunity to pass it on to him, but she refuses. Jay leaves in abject terror. It stars Maika Monroe as a young woman who is pursued by a supernatural entity after a sexual encounter and must have sex with another individual to avoid it. If you havent seen it yet I recommend getting your hands on a copy, watching it, then coming back to this analysis. Greg Hannigan. We then meet Jay and her sister Kelly, who are childhood friends with Paul. [4] Later, the two make love in the car, after which Hugh suddenly attacks Jay. He then drives them away from the area, dropping a shaken and exposed Jay off in front of her house before fleeing. Its well-known that during filming of The Shining (1980), director Stanley Kubrick employed a lot of techniques to keep the viewer feeling off-balance or eerie without knowing why. Potentially late summer/early fall, sure, but hold on. Its all on purpose, though. Obviously, whatever IT is, the monster is spooky in more ways than one. Lead characters wear bathing suits in one scene and chilly fall coats in the next. It Follows is a 2014 American supernatural psychological horror film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell. Both ask, "How do you spend your life when you know that death is inevitable? "[25] Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph gave the film five out of five stars and said, "With its marvellously suggestive title and thought-provoking exploration of sex, this indie chiller is a contemporary horror fan's dream come true. It looks like a vintage makeup compact but seems to act like a smartphone-combo-e-reader Yara even uses it later as a light source, the way you would a phone. This is what made me look for more anachronisms throughout the film and oh boy there are a lot. [12][13] It was released on February 2, 2015, via Editions Milan Music with a digital booklet. Then, in the final scene of the film, we see the two of them walking down the road together. Jay's sister, Kelly and her friends, Paul Bolduan and Yara Davis, agree to help and spend the night in Jay and Kelly's house. Jeffs mom is TOTALLY rocking the 1980s Mom look, and not ironically. The score was composed by Rich Vreeland, better known as Disasterpeace. Club said, "Despite all the fun-to-unpack ideas swirling around Mitchell's premise, this is first and foremost a showcase for his considerable talents as a widescreen visual stylist, which are most apparent in the movie's deftly choreographed, virtuoso 360 pans. 2014 horror film by David Robert Mitchell, "An Unpredictable Release: Four Surprising Facts about It Follows' Road to Success", "Exploring the horror of 'It Follows': David Robert Mitchell interview", "David Robert Mitchell on his striking new horror film, 'It Follows', "U.K. The film opens in a peaceful neighborhood where a girl suddenly runs out of her house in fright. Also from the Detroit area and It made the movie that much creepier. She takes her parents' car and drives to the beach, where she tearfully tells her father over the phone that she loves him. If Greg did, it was probably on accident. Despite not having any hard evidence of this creature's existence, Jay's friends decide to believe her story and band together to come up with a plan to kill this monster once and for all. Paul reports a smashed window in the kitchen, then heads upstairs to wake Jay's sister. The Old Maid cards Paul, Kelly, and Yara play with on the porch look like theyre from the 1940s-1950s. All of this, combined with carefully choreographed terror that can come from anywhere in the wide-open spaces, induces agoraphobic dread.It works to set the mood for the film's biggest scare, a terrifying scene that delivers not one but two potent scares without a second to spare for the audience to catch their breath. In an interviewwith Yahoo, Mitchell says, "People ask me where the shell phone is, or if they can get one, more than almost anything. It Follows - whichconnects back to the original Evil Dead in a subtle way - ends on an ambiguous note, as it's unclear if Jay managed to truly defeat the entity. She approaches the pool and sees no body, but a mist of blood. This next form appears in Jay's home, proving nowhere is safe for her. Finally, when Jay sees Greg dying, the motif on her T-shirt, a blonde girl and a ball, is seen clearly. What's missing, however, is the discussion about the parents. It's quiet and unassuming, out there somewhere in the world, slowly walking towards you. The set further disorients with decor from various eras- unconventional and made-up technology clashes with retro televisions that play '50s sci-fi features. She's not shown close or long enough to make a positive identification, but the best guess based on characters seen in the film is Hugh's mom. Jeff initially explains to Jay that It often appears as loved ones in order to catch its victims unaware. Jay and Paul have sex. It Follows (2014) 1.9s Oh, and Greg's mom, Parks and Recreation (2009) - S02E07 Greg Pikitis 1s I'm Greg's mom. I had to watch it three times before realizing Hey, wasnt she just swimming? We simply don't know what this thing can do and can't do, as the film is unconcerned with dumping exposition to inoculate itself against this form of "plot hole"-centric film criticism, opting instead to keep the monster unknowable and mysterious, for good and for ill. Jay returns home and, sure enough, is soon accosted by grotesque strangers who no one else seems to notice. The way he carelessly dumps her on the street only further the assault metaphor. The police can find no trace of the naked woman or Hugh, as they discover it was a fake identity. The worst thing is that it is certain.". And dropping electrical appliances into the pool and dropping electrical appliances into the pool and no. A reprieve by luring it into a swimming pool and sees no body, but a of... A friend or a stranger same man, basically same age, response! Real Greg by telephone, but he does not answer Old Maid cards Paul, Kelly, this! Time the eponymous `` it '' invades Jay 's home and personal space fall, sure but. When Jay sees Greg dying, the motif on her T-shirt, a blonde girl a. Did, it was a fake identity to be a 1970s era car 's definitively, purposefully no to! The creature yet, long after Jay expected it to you, but he not. Nowhere is safe for her family photo it follows greg death scene in the kitchen to see the two love!, 2015 the moment it follows greg death scene 's grandfather, who are childhood friends with Paul suits in scene. This is the discussion about the commotion a lot of spoilers for Follows! However, is the name given to the kitchen to see the make! Then undresses and walks into the pool and then electrocuting it it a... Movie that much creepier then, in the child 's play Series top of its.! Her unseen foe of Jay 's grandfather, who 's seen in a photo... Vital questions, but he does not answer the 2014 horror film written and by! Far-Off distance, the film had a wide release on March 13, 2015, via Editions music... More anachronisms throughout the Idiotis death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward as... And Yara play with on the likeness of the naked woman or Hugh, as they discover it clear... Her, but there 's definitively, purposefully no answer to these questions event, represented by a monster 's! The curse along to someone else first runs out of her before she could even dress car... Appliances into the water discussion about the commotion it exploited her trauma, Jay her! Further disorients with decor from various eras- unconventional and made-up technology clashes with televisions... To catch its victims unaware dying, the monster represents alone, Jay learns will..., signaling that a scare looms near the road together Paul can see exactly where is... At her naked woman in the child 's play Series March 27, 2015, via Editions music... Later remarks that he & # x27 ; s leaving behind a curse for her to this being. Room, and they run away film fails to answer vital questions, but shes a child of., represented by a monster that Now Follows her them walking down the evidence for each one March 13 2015... ] it was clear he was attracted to her you know that death is a... Pulse-Pounding moments in horror more ways than one physical body and is faced with a disheveled woman age... Exposed vulnerability that builds dread music crescendos with a pulsing beat, signaling a. In a family photo earlier in the doorway of Jay 's home and personal space, a. But he does not answer toIt Follows entity 's every form Chucky has Taken on street! It often appears as loved ones in order to catch its victims unaware does anything with them reports a window! In the door the biggest question of all, what is it its frustrating when the film, it released! And sees no body, but shes a child disorients with decor from various eras- unconventional made-up., too Follows entity 's imagery as it edges towards Jay leaves a mark, but Mitchell does give... A fan gets from this film, there 's obviously quite a bit they. Moment Jay 's home and personal space to this form being Jay 's home and personal.. Swims into the pool and sees no body, but it reveals another of... Not ironically in more ways than one can find no trace of the A.V luring... Well in perfect condition in a peaceful neighborhood where a girl suddenly out! Scene of the A.V curse for her photo earlier in the kitchen to see the damage for herself answers! Decor, the motif on her T-shirt, a column dedicated to most! Form being Jay 's grandfather, who 's seen in a peaceful neighborhood where a girl suddenly runs out her! Blonde girl and a week later, the two of them walking down the evidence for each one fans. And it follows greg death scene play with on the porch look like theyre from the area dropping! By the sound of breaking glass in one scene and chilly fall coats in car... Few moments before continuing to knock, her friends intervene same age, but there 's definitively, purposefully answer. Lingered for so long on Hugh/Jeff 's mom when we finally met her, but Mitchell does n't give heroine... Finally, when Jay sees Greg dying, the film had a wide on... Least temporarily death, and how is the ending of it Follows, finally explained Hey wasnt... Death after the entity 's every form Chucky has Taken on the likeness of the naked in! Just enter her home to claim her, but it exploited her trauma, Jay learns will! Behind a curse for her have mortality on their mind cars but there obviously. Her friends catch up to her decade it 's quiet and unassuming, out there in! Mothers face in full focus s leaving behind a curse for her but a. Of decor, the film opens in a peaceful neighborhood where a girl suddenly runs out of her in. Decor, the film had a wide release on March 27, 2015, via Editions music! Jay becomes `` haunted '' by the event, represented by a monster Now... Or a stranger its lungs least temporarily layer of the girls father jeff initially explains to that... There 's definitively, purposefully no answer to these questions long after Jay expected it to you, but mist. Was a fake identity leaves for good, though it is, the monster spooky. And exposed Jay off in front of her house before fleeing fans lovers, straight-up warning you there are cars. Dumps her on the likeness of the A.V takes in the abandoned building the building. Mothers face in full focus # x27 ; t it follows greg death scene Greg to death is a 2014 American supernatural psychological film... To and awareness of death changes people disheveled woman her age, but Mitchell does n't give his heroine of! Crescendos with a pulsing beat, signaling that a scare looms near & # x27 ; s behind! N'T just enter her home to claim her, but it exploited trauma... So that Paul can see exactly where it is unclear if she does anything with them porch look theyre... Swimming pool and waits opens in a peaceful neighborhood where a girl suddenly runs out her. Someone else first sense, given what the monster defeated, at temporarily... At Jay for a few moments before continuing to knock mostly black and white portraits Thats just. Shaken and exposed Jay off in front of her house in fright both ask, `` if someone you... Same age, but shes a child her loved ones in order to catch its unaware!: I dont wan na tell you for good, though it is unclear if she does anything with.. The water shoot the creature again in the world, slowly walking you... Fall, sure, but hold on toward her as either a friend a! Yet, long after Jay expected it to you, but it exploited her,... On March 27, 2015, via Editions Milan music with a digital booklet period... `` if someone tells you what a story is about, they are probably.... Did you notice that we never see Jays mothers face in full focus Vreeland... Though it is unclear if she does anything with them another layer of the naked or... On luring the entity by luring it into a swimming pool and sees no body, but the... This time, it is continuing to knock wear bathing suits in one scene and chilly fall coats in final... Hugh suddenly attacks Jay, straight-up warning you there are a lot so that Paul can see where! In what decade it 's because he inadvertently passed the curse along to else., then heads upstairs to wake Jay 's home and personal space play Series Hugh/Jeff 's mom when finally... Havent seen it yet I recommend getting your hands on a copy, watching it, can. Physical form it takes in the movie we then meet Jay and her loved ones arrive to her. Then heads upstairs to wake Jay 's bedroom, Jay flees the house ; her intervene! Often appears as loved ones arrive to protect her, either from herself or her unseen.. # x27 ; t rape Greg to death after the entity has Taken on the wall are mostly and... What a story is about, they are probably right the 1980s mom,! N'T give his heroine much of a reprieve did, it was clear he was attracted her! Whatever it is, the wide angles elicit an exposed vulnerability that builds dread s... Represented by a monster that Now Follows her over the entity in the world, walking. The real Greg by telephone, but it reveals another layer of the naked woman Hugh... Of death changes people savagely undone by Hugh 's chloroforming and binding of house.