The brilliant final act of “Get Away” keeps it from becoming too predictable

Folk horror is a robust subgenre that first entered the mainstream with the films of the 1970s Blood on Satan’s Claw, The Wicker ManAnd Witchfinder General paving the way for the current relevance of the niche. Folk horror explores the uncomfortable underbelly of rural environments by emphasizing belief, superstition, sacrifice and legacy. More importantly, the subgenre has recently experienced a renaissance, with popular genre films like Midsommar, tourists, men, And The witch.

Modern horror has contributed to the advancement of this subgenre, and director Steffen Haars and writer/star Nick Frost have found an effective response to this movement Go away. Her film presents a well-known story in which an unsuspecting family vacations in a foreign land that hides a dark secret and a tradition in the forest. However, Go away works hard to reinvent the genre and surprise audiences with a sharp script that’s as funny as it is violent.

Get Away’s excellent folk horror satire is the driving force

The film strikes the perfect balance between horror and comedy

Go away he succeeds with a very clear perspective that playfully evades the folk horror subgenre. The satirical touches that make up the film are a joy to watch to feel like Hot fuzz hits Midsummer. It involves a tonal genre shift that slowly swallows the film as a whole and transforms it into something special. In this case, it’s a morbidly comic look at foreboding folk horror rather than the heightened Michael Bay-esque action genre theatrics it celebrates Hot Fuzz’s parodic farewell to Hollywood’s police power fantasies.

Go away takes its main characters to Svalta, Sweden, 200 years after a terrible tragedy occurred there. Svalta’s dreary customs may be something this out-of-town family temporarily dabbles in, but for the locals it’s a way of life in which there is no reprieve. Richard (Nick Frost) and Susan’s (Aisling Bea) family have a chance to escape all this – assuming they survive. Everyone else has actively chosen this lifestyle. Dark traditions threatening outsiders is a sinister element often found in folk horror films, but this is appreciated Go away do not ignore this ingredient. Instead of just making fun of the phrase, Go away amplifies this detail and uses horror and humor to give its world more context and authenticity. Yes, Go away wants to make its audience laugh and celebrate the absurdity of its premise and folk horror as a whole, but it also wants to make sure that the family’s plight feels like something in reality and not a farcical fantasy.

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Svalta’s traditions have a sinister undercurrent that sours this family’s spirits. Go away highlights spooky characters – and even scarier masks – who become increasingly unpredictable. These are all pretty standard folk horror classics, but Go away sticks the landing on a production level. The film’s visuals simultaneously present a goofier version of the typical folk horror elements while still maintaining the sense of foreboding that permeates such films. There is also a very impressive score by Hybrid that is reminiscent of Psycho Composer Bernard Hermann. The eerie auditory atmosphere helps convey the horror and growing sense of dread in the film. This is further enhanced by the stirring cinematography, which floats freely through the family’s quaint apartments as if they were a lost ghost.

Go away spends a lot of time establishing familiar folk horror archetypes. However, there is also some really effective comedy that sneaks up on the audience and underscores dark horror scenes for maximum impact. Because of this, the audience remains as disoriented as Go away‘s characters. Go away The film prioritizes comedy over horror, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially when the humor is so strong. Apart from that, Those looking for a more aggressive film that really scares might find themselves a little disappointed Go away‘s antics and theatrics.

Behind “Get Away” is a lovely family that the audience cares about

The film’s characters and performances are all great

Go away The close connection between the core characters and the way they really feel like a displaced and disillusioned family is hugely valuable. Everyone clicks within minutes and there is such an affable energy between the whole family. One of Go awayNick Frost, Aisling Bea, Sebastian Croft and Maisie Ayres’ secret weapons are the effortless chemistry they bring to their respective characters. and how they bounce off each other. At various points in the film as they explore Svalta, there is a certain level of apathy from each family member, but despite these unsettling detours, they remain sympathetic. This family thoroughly sells the idea that they are outsiders, not only completely out of their element, but also completely unaware of the horrors that await them. They were even warned about Svalta’s seasonal cruelty and were still determined to enjoy their island vacation.

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Frost’s well-written script is also full of humanity and compassionwhich guarantees that the audience is invested in this family’s survival and is constantly on the edge of their seats in the face of the horrors that threaten them. These characters are often treated like jokes, but in a way that seems believable and without malice. As Go away As the story develops, it becomes clear that it is the characteristics of the horror genre and the audience’s preconceived ideas about this type of traditional family that are under attack, rather than the family itself. Facing it all are the annoying locals of Svalta – led by the creepy the captivating Anitta Suikkari and Eero Milonoff – who all look as if they were just a moment away from committing a grisly murder. Go away knows how to subvert these expectations and make these encounters more than just a repetitive gag.

Get Away’s brilliant twist prevents it from being a generic horror-comedy

The final act of the film subverts expectations in the best way possible

Go awayThe first half is entertaining, if familiar. In the middle act, the film begins to fall into a formula of revolving around the same gag and failing to properly raise the stakes. Thankfully, the film evolves beyond this superficial satirical deconstruction of folk horror as it enters its final act and undergoes a major twist. This catalyst completely changes the tone and nature of the film and is the reason why Go away ultimately works. That gives everything Go away a truly sharp perspective that emboldens the final act and makes every minute shine. It becomes a strangely sweet experience that celebrates the eternal bonds of familyeven if the central family is soaked in blood for much of the film. It takes some time, however Go awayThe script finally reaches the level of satirical genius and unexpected poignancy that audiences have come to expect from Frost.

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Go away stands out for its acting, suspense and comedic reference points, but as a horror comedy and parody it seems a bit lackluster and frivolous before its major narrative shift. Without this twist it would be far too easy Go away getting lost in the endless sea of ​​streaming horror titles and parodies, especially when it ends up on Shudder. Go away is a fun and entertaining film that needs some big changes to help it stand out from its competitors. In a decade in which folk horror has become increasingly popular and predictable, Go away brings a fresh and exciting take on the subgenre that beautifully blends the growing pains of a family road trip with a serial killer massacre. It’s a promising reimagining of beloved horror classics that doesn’t exceed its appeal and proves that blood is indeed thicker than water.

Get Away hits theaters on December 6, 2024.

A family’s vacation to a remote retreat takes an unexpected turn when they discover that a serial killer lives on the island they are on.

director

Steffen Haars

Release date

December 6, 2024

Pour

Nick Frost, Aisling Bea, Sebastian Croft, Maisie Ayres, Jouko Ahola, Ville Virtanen, Eero Milonoff, Anitta Suikkari

writer

Nick Frost

Duration

86 minutes

Advantages

• Get Away excels in both the horror and comedy genres with its clever and spooky folk-horror satire.
• A captivating and relatable cast of characters will captivate audiences.
• The final act of the film really pushes “Get Away” to the next level and subverts expectations in a rewarding way.

Disadvantages

• The film prioritizes laughter over scares, and those looking for a truly scary horror film will be disappointed.
• “Get Away” occasionally feels like a generic horror satire before fully committing to its role in the final act.

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