At first, this was a post to accompany my original ‘yay! I’m going to the Mayfair!” post on Facebook, but after writing so many words, here we are with a bona fide blog post. Also, this is barely a review. Listen to the linked review for that, or go see it yourself. Both are worth it.

To expand: at first, because this was based around sex, I’d thought I wouldn’t want to see it. After ‘Teeth’ and, like, every other sex based horror film I disliked, I wasn’t about to willingly subject myself to another. Thankfully, that’s not it at all. The characters themselves (let alone their intercourse) are decidedly pedestrian (no pun intended) and utterly believable. And likeable. Though very plain, we all know kids/people just like this. I hesitate to say ‘kids’ because they all conduct themselves in a very mature and ageless manner. They drive cars without them being status symbols. They are in out of hospitals without defiance or supervision. They accept in a mostly non-judgmental manner that their absent parents are just that; absent.

They take on this force, ‘it’, alone and without bravado. Very mature.

Their settings are largely bland and lower-middle class which I can relate too. So many of the houses look plucked straight from my hometown. The only thing that left me wondering about their incomes and lifestyle is their cars always had gas. Maybe that’s a Motor City thing? Like Albertans always have gas and beef? It certainly would have broken the spell to see any of them spend money gassing up.

The spell, as it were, is they really have nothing to do. They are likely some of the first to really attempt to fight back at this thing as opposed to hide, spread it further, or simply give in.

Listening in to the Bind Torture Kast review, as I tend to revisit these when I do see a film they cover, reinforced something I thought while watching. Two things actually.

One, they are of a social class some people may typically attribute (in a short sighted and misinformed if not cruel way) to impulsive and reckless sexual behavior. They have nothing better to do. They are all incredibly close and talk openly about encounters, sex, and relationships, and they are young. They drink and have no parental guidance. They watch old sci fi and horror into the wee hours. Sex? Seems to be the last thing on their minds. ‘It’ has barked up the wrong tree, if it’s goal is to spread and kill. No one knows that though.

While watching, I thought of how I would avoid death if afflicted with this force. The only way is to have random sex? Well, I guess it’s best to find someone who is going to pass it on faster than it can walk, right? Dirty idea, but the only way out. Chris (host of BTK) pointed out how the first girl in the opening is of a higher income bracket. True. The boy who passes it to Jay is of a slightly lower income – evident in that he would have been embarrassed by the house he pretended he lived in, and that residing in the house he Actually lives in is his caring and very present mother. The girl he chose to pass this to, Jay, is slightly lower-income than himself.

In a later scene, Paul seems to be moved to spread this among sex-workers, but decides no to. It would have been the inevitable escape. To find an even lower ‘class’ group of people who may be lucky enough to spread this faster than it can walk. I can see why some liken this to STDs or AIDS but I just can’t. If I want to liken it to an epidemic, it’s the spread of apathy toward sex. Sex as recreation or a commodity becoming commonplace. Not that I have an opinion on that, and I don’t mean epidemic in a negative fashion. It is what it is.

Second, being able to see a damn fine horror film in a theatre.

We are blessed, those that have small repertory theatres at our disposal. Spoiled even. Had I been forced to attend a multiplex to see this, I’d have skipped it. No way would I want it marred with trailers and bullshit, let alone dude-bros praying for tits or hoping the sex would get their dates squirmy. Luckily, I got to see this at my favourite haunt (however I neglect the place too often) with a decent crowd who applauded at the end with actual appreciation. It’s something the review hinged on from start to finish, and I agree. Seeing anything in a multiplex these days is torture. It doesn’t have to be that way. Seeing wide-release horror is normally torture enough (formulaic plot, pretty rich annoying characters, stupid fucking nu-metal and folk rock soundtrack) but add in the plebs and mouthbreathers – a terrible evening for the handful who actually want to enjoy a film.

Apparently there is a sequel coming. Yes, it follows It Follows to it’s origin from what I’ve read. If only in a perfect world they could create the same lightening strike and have a creeping terror of a film, perfect sound, well written and spoken script and direction, with the same kind of organic release based on interest. A girl can hope.