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‘It Comes at Night’
(A24)
By Lucas Allen
With the success of “Split” and “Get Out” earlier this year, the horror genre is experiencing a rising resurgence from filmmakers with actual experience. For a change of pace this summer blockbuster season, “It Comes at Night” sneaks up on you and surprises you like any good original movie. Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, the movie is both a family drama and an intensely suspenseful horror film.
An unknown disease has caused society to fight to survive at any cost. Paul (Joel Edgerton), his wife Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), and teenage son Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) live alone in a small forest home with their own resources at their disposal. One night, a man named Will (Christopher Abbott) breaks in to steal their water, but is quickly captured. He then convinces the family that his family, including wife Kim (Riley Keough) and toddler Andrew (Griffin Robert Faulkner), are in need of only water and have food to trade.
Paul reluctantly agrees to bring Will’s family to safety and let them stay at his home for a while. At first the two families get along great and manage their post-apocalyptic home life. But then things go downhill when paranoia and mistrust start to happen. It gets serious, with Travis having weird dreams, the pet dog suddenly running away, and Andrew sleepwalking. Paul believes it’s the sickness coming into their house, but is it really?
The movie follows the same trajectory as “It Follows” and “The Witch,” where the story builds slowly to an unbelievable conclusion. Right from the beginning, the grim tone remains consistent all the way through as you follow these characters through the trials of terror when they fight to survive. Director Shults does a great job creating tension at every moment when things start quiet before the horror begins to emerge. The claustrophobic feeling in the house and in the woods adds to the palpable feeling of unease.
When the nightmare scenes start, the framing in the wide screen changes to represent the unnerving feeling of paranoia that the characters go through. That way, no one shall have to go through another horror film with the tired nightmare fake-out cliché. Once it gets to the third act, the movie gets intense with a horrifying climax. Then the movie abruptly ends, which some viewers may find unrewarding. However, those who follow the story through the end will walk away having a greater understanding of the genre.
The actors are also great, giving believable performances as characters going to extremes to survive. Edgerton leads the way playing a guy who’s driven by his own paranoia when he’s protecting his family. The highlight is a breakthrough performance by Harrison Jr. as a teenager facing the perils of becoming a man through the whole ordeal.
While it’s not for everybody, especially during a season of sequels and superhero films, “It Comes at Night” is a wholly original experience that has to be seen. Seeing this film will further support more original films by young experienced filmmakers with bright futures in making great movies for future generations.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for violence, disturbing images, and language)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 3.5 Stars (Out of Four)
