'It Follows' is the first truly fantastic film of 2015

Don't get me wrong, Furious 7 was a blast -- but It Follows, a little throwback of a horror film that I knew next to nothing about going in -- has turned out to be the first great film of 2015.

The film, with its horny teens and virtuoso camerawork ,owes quite a bit to the work of John Carpenter, particularly the original 1978 Halloween -- but it has a languid rhythm that is entirely its own.

It's a shame that truly inspired scary movies like this one almost never find an audience.

A few years back, Matt Reeves' underrated Let Me In was similarly unknown despite rave reviews.

Although it's pacing and performances are far more naturalistic than the typical teen slasher fare, this movie could be a big hit if it was marketed the right way.

It's essentially a more ethereal take on a Final Destination-type tale, but with better acting, visuals and aural effects.

Let me talk about the score for a minute. The dread-drenched, bombastic music is both retro and revolutionary, quite possibly the best horror movie score I've ever heard. The music, along with director David Robert Mitchell's eerie camera movements, fill every frame with a sense of doom and danger.

This is a movie that gets under your skin with it's opening shot -- a clearly terrified, scantily clad girl runs into the street of a generic suburban neighborhood. She's running from some unseen, unknown something and her panic is effective.

It Follows

The film is a mystery that doesn't let up from that first indelible moment. Yes, it has a few jump scares, but its real power comes in its ability to be so unrelentingly creepy that it will make you nervous just sitting in your seat.

I've avoided getting too detailed about the plot because it is moody and very hard to sum up simply but also because I wouldn't want to spoil the movie for the uninitiated. I went in totally clueless about the film. I had heard recommendations from people who's opinions I trust and I knew the film had strong critical notices, but I never saw the trailer, hadn't read a synopsis.

That's probably the best way to appreciate It Follows; don't go in expecting your typical teens-in-distress movie and you'll leave wondering, "Is that person who just made eye contact with me just looking or are they haunting me?"