‘Get Away’ (2024) Review – A Darkly Funny Family Vacation Filled With Mystery And Mayhem

A family getaway to a secluded island turns into anything but rest and relaxation. Set on a fictional Swedish island, things take a dark turn as the family arrives amid preparations for a local festival steeped in a history of cannibalism. The locals are less than hospitable hosts to the family, and to complicate matters, a roaming serial killer stalks the sleepy island. Get Away is far from a straightforward horror outing; the film mixes humor and satire effectively. The result is a darkly funny and twisted tale that delivers a perfect retreat from the ordinary.

The Smith family takes a much-needed vacation. The film, starring and written by Nick Frost, brings us a bumbling and beta family patriarch in Richard. His wife Susan (Aisling Bea) wears the proverbial pants in the film, adding a sense of zip to this dysfunctional family while also being the organizer of the trip. The children Jessie (Maisie Ayres) and Sam (Sebastian Croft) round out the family, providing hilarious inversion on the brother-sister tropes.

Get Away is in many ways a getaway from the familiar takes on this type of film where a family gets in over their heads while on vacation. At the start, we are met with the belief that this family is out of their element and about to set foot on a dangerous island. The film makes a masterful effort to subvert the expectations. We question everything that is happening on this lonely island.

At the start, the Smith family seems out to sea. Everything seems off, and the locals are cold to them. A feeling of mischief and terror moves through the island like a thick fog, and mystery is rampant. During the first act, the family is being watched by a caretaker, who moonlights as a creepy pervert, while the locals are preparing for the ceremonial reenactment of the island’s storied history.

Early on, we learn that Susan’s ancestors died on the island due to ritualistic sacrifices. This line is almost a throw-away moment but becomes significant as the story unfolds. While the film never commits to a full-on revenge tale, there is enough implication in the bloody and whacky pursuits.

Part of the film’s brilliance is, on the one hand, making us believe we are watching a call-back to films like Midsommer on the one hand and the other The Cabin in The Woods. Instead, the film becomes more like The Last House on The Left. Now, the tone is much more comedic than outright terrifying. Still, the film manages to make the suspenseful moments count. It delivers a compelling enough mystery that engages the audience until the twist shows itself.

The twist is hardly surprising, given that the Get Away leaves plenty of breadcrumbs. However, the performances are indelible, particularly by Nick Frost, who essentially plays two versions of himself: the bumbling and loveable Dad and the wise-cracking and hard-nosed tactician. The film tonally shifts from dark to darkly funny. While some may find it jarring, the movie establishes itself early with a quirky enough atmosphere that the shift in the later acts is acceptable and part of the film’s genius.

Get Away is bloody, but never to the point of over-indulgence. This is not a gratuitous bloodbath but utilizes gore and splatter to have a significant comedic effect. The film is both a satire of the genre and a darkly comedic take. Frost writes a sharp script that knows what it is doing and offers a unique spin on the genre.

Pack your bags and hop aboard the ferry. The destination is Svalta. Amenities: No phones. Peace and quiet. Bloody mayhem. All-inclusive wicked fun.

Get Away will debut in theaters on December 6, 2024, courtesy of IFC Films and Shudder.