Get Away Review

A British family holidays on a remote Swedish island. Far from a tourist hotspot, visitors aren’t all that welcome at the best of times, and certainly not during the much celebrated local holiday: Karantan. To make matters worse, there may also be a killer on the island. Happy, happy holidays!

Similar in style to the ‘Cornetto’ trilogy – unsurprising, given its writer/star – Get Away sits in a little niche somewhere between horror and comedy. Probably closer to comedy, but the movie does manage to be horrifying in its own way. Not least in its depiction of an awkward family holiday. The relatable family dynamic caught up in this nightmare – and I’m not just talking about the holiday – is brought to life perfectly by the four leads. Bea and Frost play a hilariously exasperated couple trying to enjoy some much needed time away, even with their obnoxious teenage bundles of joy (Croft & Ayres) in tow. It’s particularly funny watching the family ignore the signs that they are not at all welcome on the island, while the locals do everything they can to convince them. A strange night time visit from said locals – flaming torches and other mob paraphernalia included – being an amusing example.

If you’re looking for jump scares, Get Away may not be the movie for you. Creepy and weird would be a better way to describe it than all out horror. Although some may argue that the idea of a holiday with their family is horrifying enough. Especially in such a remote and miserable place. Even so, the movie isn’t really scary at all. It’s more about making you feel uncomfortable, or appreciating the uncomfortable situation in which the family find themselves. That it does very well, to the point it’s almost palpable. Watching them try to enjoy their holiday, blissfully unaware, can be surprisingly unnerving. With those playing the locals certainly helping with the creepy vibes. They’re not just nasty, they have the genuine feel of a people who have lived in isolation for too long. So much so that it becomes a question of who the family should be more worried about – and there are several interesting candidates.

Along with that uncomfortable but decidedly British holiday feeling, Get Away is also very good at keeping you guessing. At first it’s easy to get caught up in all the weirdness that the tiny island of Svalta has to offer. But when you do begin to question what the hell is going on – and if the strange situation doesn’t do it, the bewildering behaviour just might – the movie does have a few subtle hints to drop here and there. Which if nothing else will definitely make a rewatch worthwhile. And the less than 90 minute run time means you won’t have to wait long to find out. Especially as the movie shifts gears dramatically in the third act, exploding into a gloriously chaotic and blood-soaked finale. And even then, as it plays with classic horror tropes, Get Away still manages to be rather amusing.