Throughout horror history, characters make mistakes and pay dearly for them. Get Away follows the Smith family as they make their own terrible mistake: travelling to the fictional Swedish island Svälta for a holiday and finding the islanders cold in their welcome. Just when they think they'll get to enjoy the sights and the culture that Svälta has to offer, they're met with a rude awakening, leading to a bonkers bloodbath and a lot of chaos.
Endearing, incredibly quirky and engaging in a lot of funny banter with one another, the Smith family isn't the typical nuclear family found in horror that's overly serious or traditional. The characters feel fully realized as soon as they appear on screen. Richard (Nick Frost) and Susan (Aisling Bea) are a very odd married couple, while Jessie (Maisie Ayres) and Sam (Sebastian Croft) elicit a genuine sibling dynamic who love to rib one another.
There's no shortage of darkly humorous delights in Frost's first solo writing venture. Known mostly for his role as Ed in the British zombie comedy, Shaun of the Dead, he's also starred in other comedic horror films like Attack the Block and Slaughterhouse Rulez. Frost's experience in the subgenre shines through in the funny and charming script in all its dark humour glory.
The film's tone isn't to be taken seriously in the slightest, even when the most gory and violent events are playing out on screen. It's not a folk horror film set in a remote area like The Witch, The Ritual, Apostle, Midsommar or Men, for example. The folklore present throughout the film isn't dug into all that deeply — the islanders even point out how they aren't practicing particular traditions any longer, which naturally leads to an attempt to bring traditions back that goes poorly. As the film is meant to be a fun watch, the lack of commitment in exploring the folklore isn't a detriment to it.
Despite the minimal amount of seriousness in Get Away, there's still something to be said about the themes underneath it all. It's not unusual for horror media to play with the idea of people not being all they appear to be — and the twists involving a few of the characters in the film help drive home that theme.
The film is most effective when it focuses on the Smith family and a few of the minor characters we meet on the island. The charisma, peculiar charm and occasional raunchy dialogue from the family make for more than a few laugh-out-loud moments. It's their humour and natural chemistry that maintains the film's quality; otherwise, we're left with relatively forgettable, thinly fleshed out characters. However, the direction from Steffen Haars might distract viewers enough when the latter half of the film goes to very bloody places. There are more than a few visuals that will make audiences' eyes widen in the best way.
Unafraid to deliver on the blood gushing, slicing and dicing, and a gleeful spree of violence, Get Away effectively balances horror and comedic beats, reminding audiences what a raucous experience these films can be. Jessie in particular delivers some of the raunchier lines that are worthy of a chuckle. Despite Get Away's flaws, it's still a blast with no shortage of blood.