Movies tend to portray a ‘folk horror’ concept in which characters come across a different community and participate in its frightful components. The most famous examples include The Wicker Man, Midsommar, Apostle, The Third Day, Wake Wood, The Lair of the White Worm, The Ritual, Dagon, Population 436, Offseason, and so on. In a sense, the subgenre seems to be a consequence of the Cultural Studies approach to understanding the impact of centuries of global Christianity, particularly as many of these movies were made in the UK, a former superpower. In these movies and shows, it is the rural mystical communities that take revenge on the urban ‘cultured’ missionaries from overseas. The new movie Get Away also fits into this timeline, yet it mischievously twists its ideas and concepts.
The scenario of the film is written by and acted by Nick Frost who seems to be paired with the filmmaker Steffen Haars once again this time around The two of them made an almost complementary film around the same time the batsh*t wild Krazy House. Get Away is much more subdued for the majority of its running times but still fun, functioning almost like a folk horror spoof, which nevertheless plays fairly straight and creates tension and discomfort. The film, which also stars Aisling Bea, Sebastian Croft, Maisie Ayres, Eero Milonoff and Anitta Suikkari, premieres on December 6, 2024 and gives a little gift to fans of the genre and especially fans of Frost and his Cornetto Trilogy with Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg.
The title of Get Away works as a pun and quite nicely encapsulates the story about a holidaying family who’s on an island and feels like they can’t get away from it all and their emotions start to panic, because their lives are in danger. Frost portrays such a gentleman called Richard who happens to be the jovial Smith family’s head as he goes on a vacation to Svalta, a petite island in Sweden with his wife Susan and his kids, Jessie and Sam (a boy whose thorn is his sister). They look to us like the UK equivalent of the Griswold family from the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies, a sweet yet thoroughly mediocre American family with loving husband and wife and two kids who curled their eyes at almost everything.
Naturally, the Peters receive the customary notice not to visit the island, which is not by any means going to be the last cliche of the horror genre that Get Away manages to ridicule while simultaneously paying homage to. Prior to boarding the last ferry to Svalta, which the smiths do with great caution only to find out it will be several days before another one arrives, we witness yet another discomforting and hilarious moment at a diner. But what difference does it make? (I shall no longer use The Smiths Puns, I am certain that the punch line is no longer hilarious). They were for their part going to stay in some hush mailbox for a few days that is an exact replica of an airbnb and were looking forward to passing their time on the island, participating in the annual custom of the islanders.
Sadly, the smiths have already been told to go away as the islanders are quite hostile. To add to this, the owner of the property they are renting is an intensely intrusive weirdo who possibly watches the couple when they are naked. In an expected fashion things quickly escalate in folk horror fashion — there’s a goat head at the front door, low whispers about a lamb of god have been heard etc. Get Away does manage to integrate all of this into the narrative because it is sick and quick and is also consistent thanks to the impressive acting.
Frost is delightful as always, for she has perfected the unique combination of being gentle and sweet while coming off as volatile and frightening. Aisling Bea stands out here as matriarch Susan. She convincingly depicts the bond between husband and wife, which is essential in ‘Get Away’, and is quite funny too of course. While each character kind of plays an archetype familiar to the genre, her character of a mother is never stereotyped or undervalued like most so called “moms” in movies.
The characters of Croft and Ayres do exceptionally well portraying a brother-sister dynamic in which they are both irritating yet extremely affectionate with one another. There is an edge and a bit of a slant with respect to their view in life that is mainly directed towards Croft’s Sam who happens to be the only character that doesn’t quite fit into the family stereotype. Most of the islanders are two dimensional characters, this is simply a knowing wink at the way these type of characters are typically treated in horror films. Anitta Suikkari is however cartoonishly aggressive, while a sweaty and slobbery Eero Milonoff makes for an odd couple on the periphery of Smith’s threat.
So as to never ignore a great stand-up opportunity, the title of my review is ‘Get away, not to be seen ever again.’ The film is written as a parody of John Carpenter’s work ‘Halloween’. Get Away is as entertaining as a car accident. Sometimes one just wants to laugh, and even feel sick. The film’s twist leaves one guessing and does not disappoint. It’s fascinating how the film not only relies on the horrible aspects of the polarizing family but also satisfies with wild imaginativism.بارات العمل بالمؤسسة، وظفّ طاقم تكرار الأدوار، وعناصر الديكور المحترفين ليكون العمل دقيقًا. In front of us are marvelous locations that appear to be from old movies; in fact, they are all modern within the film’s continuum. Looking at the movie ‘Karaoke Singer,’ one can speak volumes, so many arguments can be derived from it. One weakness that this film carries is the concept of art physicalized by family roles in itself: translated too many times already, laughable.
Indeed, Get Away may be a comedy, but due to this fact, it does not only lack the important attributes of sufficient scares and well-drawn supporting cast, but also even realism. While the ending may be fun and Fidgeted, portions of the audience may think, “Oh please. That’s just absurd. Isn’t it?” The very conclusion of the film also appears abrupt and very simplistic. Nevertheless, one is still left feeling slightly uncomfortable, but with a smile, contemplating over what they have just viewed. It is a good reaction.
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