Written by Robert Scucci | Published
Family vacations are always difficult to plan and execute for many reasons. The kids swear they have to go to the bathroom at the last rest stop, complaining that they have to walk again five minutes after you’re back on the road. The McDonald’s on the side of the highway is very expensive, and they always forget your farm. And sometimes, just sometimes, the place you plan to spend your allotted two weeks of company PTO is home to a crowd of locals who are quickly approaching the 200th anniversary of what can only be described as a cannibal massacre.
in 2024 Get out it’s completely focused on that third dimension, and it’s so much fun pushing you into hostile territory that you’ll find no shortage of weird routines and the kind of splatty, third-act violence any slasher comic fan will enjoy. Written by Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead in his first attempt at solo writing, Get out it boasts the kind of irreverent humor you’d expect, especially the kind that thrives on a suspicious level of thoughtlessness when things start to go wrong.
“We Really Need This”
Get out it starts off easy enough, but keeps pushing itself into increasingly uncomfortable territory as it plays out. We are introduced to Richard (Nick Frost) and his wife Susan (Aisling Bea), and their son and daughter, Sam (Sebastian Croft) and Jessie (Maisie Ayres). The echoing sentiment we hear from Susan as the family travels to the Swedish island of Svalta is that she really needs this. The implication is clear. She and Richard have been grinding all year to support their family, and this is the only two-week window they have to get some real rest and relaxation before going straight back into the rat race.
The main reason they chose to go to Svalta is to see a local play commemorating 200 years of British occupation. That depopulation resulted in a small group of survivors still living on the island today, largely because their ancestors turned to cannibals when their food supply dwindled and could not be replenished. Whether or not the family has a direct connection to the islanders isn’t made clear, but it still sounds like a strange place to spend your only family vacation.
As soon as they arrive, the family is met with anger, hatred, and resentment, as if they are interfering with something deeply personal. Dead animals are left at the door of their bed and breakfast, it seems that someone has been rummaging through their belongings while they are checking out, and Jessie begins to suspect that there are hidden mirror doors in the house, meaning that someone may be watching her while she sleeps.
Get out It turns sour during a party the family has gone to see, when it becomes clear that not everything on the island is what it seems. After a series of traumatic events that are best left unexplained for you to experience first hand, the family realizes they are outnumbered by the locals and decide to restore their dignity by any means necessary before leaving the island for good.
Predicted Until Not
During its first and second act, Get out it plays like a classic folk horror setup. A group of outsiders arrive in a place they clearly shouldn’t be, and the people who already live there engage in increasingly weird rituals that would make most people leave before they fall prey to some kind of blood demon. Get out defies expectations of Richard and Susan’s family, as they seem strangely at peace with everything happening around them.
They know they are not welcome on the island of Svalta, but they don’t care. This is their holiday. This is their only chance to relax and spend time together before returning to their daily lives, and they refuse to let a bunch of local strangers spoil it. Most of the jokes in the Get out it comes from this tonal conflict, and Nick Frost’s friendly, straightforward approach to what most people would consider a nightmare scenario is incredibly strange.
If you start to feel restless amid what seems to be a lack of conflict, all you have to do is wait for the third act, when things get completely out of whack and the film turns into a violent battle of wills. It all builds to one of the most out-of-pocket twist endings you’ll ever see in a hot minute.
Get out a satisfying watch if you’re already a fan of Nick Frost’s screen presence and delivery, and his performance is lifted by Aisling Bea, Sebastian Croft, and Maisie Ayres. On screen, they play the perfect English family trying to charm their way out of a crazy situation, while also proving they’re not to be taken lightly. Sometimes the most honorable people are the ones you don’t want to mess with.
As of this writing, Get out is streaming for free on Tubi.
