9 / 10
It Follows is David Robert Mitchell’s 2014 American supernatural horror film depicting a young woman who, after a sexual encounter, discovers she has been infected with a curse that manifests as a slow-moving figure visible only to her, which will continue pursuing her until she either dies or transmits the curse to another person through sexual contact. Maika Monroe plays Jay Height. Keir Gilchrist plays Paul Bolduan. Daniel Zovatto plays Greg Hannigan. Olivia Luccardi plays Yara Davis. Lili Sepe plays Kelly Height. Jake Weary plays Hugh. The screenplay was written by David Robert Mitchell. Northern Lights Films produced the film for theatrical release in March 2015 after Cannes Film Festival screening in May 2014. It Follows became one of the most critically acclaimed horror productions of the mid-2010s.
It Follows operates as one of the most successful art-house horror productions of the mid-2010s and the foundational document of the ‘elevated horror’ subgenre that subsequently dominated late-2010s prestige horror cinema. David Robert Mitchell’s commitment to atmospheric tension over explicit horror, combined with the sexual-transmission curse premise that operates as both supernatural threat and as broader sexual-anxiety allegory, produced a horror experience that 2014 audiences had not previously encountered. The film’s specific commitment to slow-moving threat that is always advancing produces sustained genuine dread that conventional horror productions cannot consistently achieve.
The Slow-Moving Threat
Mitchell’s screenplay establishes that the curse manifests as a slow-moving figure that walks toward the cursed person at sustained walking pace. The threat cannot be outrun through immediate speed but can be temporarily evaded through distance, with the figure continuing to walk toward the cursed person across whatever territory separates them. The conceit produces certain sustained dread that conventional fast-moving horror threats cannot achieve.
The cinematography supports the slow-moving threat through sustained wide shots that allow the audience to spot the figure in the background of scenes before the characters notice it. The cumulative effect produces distinct viewer involvement in identifying the figure across multiple sequences, with the audience operating as additional surveillance for the protagonist rather than passively observing the action. The technique has been substantially imitated by subsequent horror productions without successful replication.
For Writers
Slow-moving horror threats with sustained advancing pressure produce stronger viewer dread than fast-moving threats with immediate violence. It Follows’s particular conceit demonstrates the technique throughout the running time.
The Sexual-Anxiety Reading
Mitchell’s screenplay establishes that the curse passes through sexual contact, with the only available escape being transmission to another partner. The conceit operates as both supernatural threat and as substantial allegory for sexual-anxiety experiences including sexually transmitted infections, adolescent sexual development, and the complications of sexual responsibility. The thematic content gives the film significant subtext that pure horror plotting could not provide.
The screenplay’s certain commitment to ambiguity about the reading distinguishes It Follows from contemporary horror productions that handle thematic content as explicit metaphor. The sexual-transmission element operates as both literal plot mechanism and as broader allegory without the screenplay forcing either reading. The cumulative effect produces sustained interpretive engagement that conventional horror productions cannot consistently achieve.
For Writers
Horror productions with allegorical content embedded in their central conceits produce stronger thematic engagement than productions handling thematic content as explicit metaphor. It Follows’s distinct ambiguity demonstrates the technique throughout the running time.
The Detroit Setting
Mitchell shot the film in Detroit and surrounding Michigan locations, with the production benefiting from Detroit’s considerable mid-century architectural inventory and the particular decline of certain Detroit neighborhoods. The deliberately undated production design, combining 1970s-style automobiles, 1990s-style televisions, and contemporary elements, produces a certain timeless register that supports the supernatural threat’s existence outside distinct temporal context.
The Detroit setting also operates as major atmospheric register. The decaying suburban environments, the empty swimming pools, the abandoned buildings, all give the film particular Midwestern post-industrial atmosphere that conventional horror locations could not have supplied. The cumulative effect produces a horror film with particular cultural geography that distinguishes it from contemporary 2014 horror productions.
For Writers
Horror productions with certain geographic settings produce stronger atmospheric register than productions using generic suburban or urban locations. It Follows’s Detroit setting demonstrates the technique throughout the film.
Craft Note
Mitchell produced the film independently with real creative control. The production cost approximately two million dollars and grossed approximately twenty-three million worldwide, strong commercial performance for an art-house horror release. Disasterpeace composed the score with significant synthesizer elements that give the film its particular period-ambiguous sonic register. The 2024 sequel They Follow has been periodically reported through development without confirmed production schedule. The original 2014 production has become foundational text for subsequent elevated-horror filmmaking.
Verdict
It Follows is one of the most successful art-house horror productions of the mid-2010s and the foundational document of the elevated-horror subgenre. David Robert Mitchell’s slow-moving threat conceit, the sexual-anxiety allegorical reading, and the Detroit setting combine to produce a horror film with considerable lasting cultural standing and critical reception. Strongly recommended.
FAQ
Who directed It Follows?
David Robert Mitchell directed the film and wrote the screenplay. He had previously directed The Myth of the American Sleepover (2010) and subsequently directed Under the Silver Lake (2018).
Is It Follows allegorical?
The film’s sexual-transmission premise operates as major allegory for sexual-anxiety experiences including STIs, adolescent development, and sexual responsibility. Mitchell has acknowledged the allegorical reading while resisting distinct singular interpretation.
Is there a sequel to It Follows?
A sequel titled They Follow has been periodically reported in development since the mid-2010s without confirmed production schedule. The 2014 original production remains the standalone film.
How fast does the figure move in It Follows?
The figure moves at sustained walking pace. It cannot be outrun through immediate speed but can be temporarily evaded through distance. The figure continues advancing toward the cursed person across whatever territory separates them.
Where was It Follows filmed?
Primarily in Detroit, Michigan, and surrounding Michigan locations. The production benefited from Detroit’s real mid-century architectural inventory and particular neighborhood characteristics.
What is the It Follows score?
Disasterpeace composed the score with significant synthesizer elements that give the film its given period-ambiguous sonic register. The score has been released separately and has accumulated considerable cultural standing alongside the film.
What is the film’s rating?
It Follows is rated R for disturbing violent and sexual content including graphic nudity, and language.