David Robert Mitchell has crafted a chilling, modern horror masterpiece with 2014’s stylish It Follows, but part of the reason that the film makes such an impression is because its monster is such a mysterious threat.
In a deluge of sequels, reboots, and remakes, David Robert Mitchell’s stylish It Follows was a welcome breath of fresh air. Mitchell decided to tell a horror story that comments on the teenage experience and digs into the topic of sexual assault in a creative, terrifying way. It Follows basically turns the simple idea of sexual intimacy into its killer, but uses an incredibly tense cat and mouse structure to drive the film’s teenage prey insane. The film’s creative premise, stark cinematography, and memorable performances all turn It Follows into a modern classic. There are many reasons to love Mitchell’s film, but its unusual and ambitious approach towards its big monster is one of its major triumphs.
There’s a deep, psychological component to the way that It Follows’ “It” operates. It’s not a threat that appears to everyone, which makes the victims feel even more vulnerable and alone. To make matters worse, “It” appears differently to different people, which turns “It” into an even more elusive target. These supernatural advantages turn the monster into a truly frightening, powerful force of nature. Whatever “It” looks like after setting sights on a target is something traumatizing, but the significance behind the Giant Man pushes the movie to a very personal place.
It Follows’ Giant Man Is Actually Jay And Kelly’s Dead Father
The elusive monster in It Follows adopts many looks to intimidate prey, but arguably the one that makes the biggest impression is the disturbing Giant Man that fills whatever frame he’s in with fear. This intimidating physique appears to Jay as she tries to figure out what’s going on. At first, this strange appearance looks to be as random as any of the rest of “Its” mind tricks, but then some major pieces come together. There’s enough evidence to support that the way that the Entity works involves getting into victims’ heads in some capacity. The reason that this middle-aged tall man is so frightening to Jay (Maika Monroe) is because it’s her dead father.
There are subtle clues left throughout Jay and Kelly’s house that show family photos where a younger version of these sisters are with this exact Giant Man, and he hasn’t aged a bit. The fact that Jay’s mother has become a broken alcoholic would be consistent with the news that her husband committed suicide. Finally, during the big climax at the pool during the end of the film, Jay intentionally tries to keep her sister from seeing the Giant Man when “It” flashes back into his form. Jay wants to protect her sister from having to deal with the trauma of their dead father. This revelation may not make It Follows’ monster more frightening, but it does turn the film into an even deeper and more emotional horror classic.
More: 10 Crazy Facts Behind The Making Of It Follows
