Get Away is a silly, bloody thriller with a fun twist—but it’s not completely satisfying. 

 

Classic family of four, dad Richard (Nick Frost), mom Susan (Aisling Bea), daughter Jessie (Maisie Aryes), and son Adam (Sebastian Croft) are heading to an island in Sweden known as Svalta for vacation. The getaway comes with many warnings, especially from the locals, to not venture to the island during this specific time of year. The island having a historic past rooted in horror and tragedy, they host a festival referred to as “Karantan”. This event is the main reason the locals want the Smith family off the island. 

 

The festival is a mystery, but alludes to ritualistic or even cult-like behaviors amongst the attendees. The Smith family is not deterred and steadfastly confident to attend, determined to have their ideal getaway, unaware there is a serial killer residing on that very island. 

 

Slashers build up to a to the reveal and while not an exact definition of a slasher flick, the hope of a satisfying reveal is still being sought out when a mysterious killer is on the loose. The unsettling twist and reveal of the serial killer don’t quite meet these expectations, mainly due to a clear lack of foundation when it comes to a motive. However the reveal itself alone is fun and sure to surprise audiences. 

 

Written by Nick Frost, the narrative of Get Away would be a lot more successful if certain elements of the plot were more extensively explored and ironed out with more background offered. Frost, known for his iconic role in Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead, this is the first time he is stepping into the genre on his own as a writer and it comes with mixed results. Nonetheless, Get Away will produce a few laughs, jump scares, and gory scenes, but there isn’t enough story for it to make a lasting impact.