The horror genre has seen a bit of a renaissance in recent years. Original and terrifying new films are being produced regularly, including some particularly exciting ones which were produced by A24. And now the production company is bringing another horrifying installment with It Comes at Night, directed and written by newcommer Trey Edward Shults. The first trailer has just been released, and it looks like an intense mixture of horror and psychological thriller wrapped in a creepy crawly package. Check it out.
I don't know what exactly is going on here, and I am so into it. Let's break down what the trailer is teasing for the upcoming horror flick.
It Comes at Night is set during an apocalyptic event of some kind. Whatever scourge has hit the Earth seems to be airborne, leading to the use of gas masks when interacting with possible infected. When the trailer opens up we see the character Will (Girls alum Christopher Abbott) tied to a tree, being interrogated by an armed and probably dangerous Paul (Joel Edgerton). Eventually he allows Will and his family to stay alongside his, forming a unit to survive the apocalypse together.
But Paul has a very particular set of rules and regulations to keep the group alive, and he won't be challenged. One of these includes always locking the singular entrance to the house, for which he holds the only key, and never going out at night. But something goes awry along the way, as Paul's son finds the door ajar one evening, leading to suspicion and strife within the small community.
The moments of horror seem to be associated with the actual disease itself. It seems to rot the victim from the inside out, leading them to vomit some black sludge. It's pretty vile, so hopefully it'll be used selectively and retain that power over the audience.
At first glance, It Comes at Night feels like a mixture between Cabin Fever and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Much like the Cloverfield semi-sequel, the only hope for protection during the possible apocalypse is through one man's very strict rules. Paul is the John Goodman in this situation, seemingly going mad in order to make it through another day. But it also appears that It Comes at Night took a note from Cabin Fever's book, in providing actual symptoms and moments of gore during the film. Additionally, the morality of the characters will come to play, when deciding what to do with any "infected"
Overall, I'm pretty stoked for It Comes at Night, especially considering the recent horror wins the studio has produced in the past year or so. 2016 saw the release of both The Witch and Green Room. While vastly different horror films, they both surprised audiences with their unique concepts, terrifying action, and fantastic casts. I mean, Green Room had friggin' Patrick Stewart.
It Comes at Night will be released in theaters on June 9th. Be sure to check out our full 2017 release list and plan your next trip to the movies.
