Marcus Harben’s movie is an absolute joy, and while he may never have got to see its Frightfest premiere, I have no doubt his creative slice of horror will find more than a few festival fans. Followers is screening at FrightFest.
Occasionally, my reviews are laced with sadness, and Followers is no exception. The film’s premiere at this year’s Frightfest is missing its director, Marcus Harben, who passed away before its release, but what Harben has left us with is nothing short of a fantastically entertaining screentime supernatural horror. Harben proves that good supernatural horror comes from the idea at its heart and the shadows it paints, not the expensive or over-the-top CGI used.
Jonty (Harry Jarvis) prides himself on his extensive online following, where his blogs and viral videos are the stuff of legend in his local town. However, Jonty’s drive for success online has not come without problems, with a recent blog post highlighting some of Jonty’s less-than-favourable drunken antics. But we all deserve a second chance, right?
As Jonty embarks on his new life at University, second chances are very much on his mind. However, as Jonty’s university life begins, his thoughts remain centred on his online career and his mission to grow his followers further.
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As Jonty arrives at his University digs, he meets his new housemates: aspiring documentary filmmaker Zauna (Loreece Harrison), the delicate, social-media-obsessed Amber (Erin Austen), and the fiery, mature student Pete (Daniel Cahill). But as the group settle into their new pad, strange events begin to take hold, and it slowly becomes apparent they are not alone. For Jonty, the supernatural events offer an online opportunity for his popular blog. While for Zauna, it provides a chance to break into documentary filmmaking. But do any of them understand the power of the supernatural forces at play? As their videos go viral, the university counsellor Becky Dubar (Nina Wadia) tries to stop the group from pushing their luck. But, as the likes and shares increase, even Becky finds herself caught in the online popularity trap.
The resulting story is fast-paced, brilliantly performed and engaging; the scares are beautifully timed, the humour cutting, and the social discussions well-formed. Followers has no intention of making us wait for the action, diving straight into the supernatural story at its heart without any extensive build-up. Of course, this comes with the risk of creating energy that quickly falls flat, but Harben keeps the pace lively throughout before guiding us toward the mind-bending finale.
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The true genius of Harben’s movie lies in the visual use of social media comments, likes, and views, as influencers provide short video reviews and opinions on Jonty’s ongoing blog. This keeps the energy high, even when the narrative takes a well-deserved breath and when coupled with a filming technique that sees the actors become the crew, Followers finds its unique voice (over 50% of the film was shot by the actors!).
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While its finale may be slightly bonkers, Followers is consistently entertaining, bathed in the power of storytelling and high-energy performances. Harben’s movie is an absolute joy, and while he may never have got to see its Frightfest premiere, I have no doubt his creative slice of horror will find more than a few festival fans.
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