Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Get Away!
The latest hilarious horror happeningfrom the mad mind of Nick Frostlanded in theaters earlier this month in the form ofGet Away. The Steffen Haars-directed picture follows the Smith family, led by their patriarch Richard (Frost), as they embark on a vacation. The vacation in question revolves around venturing to a strange island to partake in the native population’s annual celebration.
Tension boils over in the third act, as the standoffish natives go to battle with the Smiths. While the likes of Richard, Susan (Aisling Bea), Jessie (Maisie Ayres), and Sam (Sebastian Croft) seem to be on the defensive to begin with, it quickly becomes apparent thatthe Smith family is relishing in bringing this bloodbathupon the island.
Get Away Review: Nick Frost’s Deliciously Dark Return To Comedy Horror Pushes The Limits
Get Away delivers a brilliant comedy horror story with outstanding comic actors who turn a quint folk horror story into a potential cult classic.
WithGet Awaynow in theaters,ScreenRantspoke with Steffen Haars, Maisie Ayres, and Sebastian Croft about how the film used animal symbolism to tee up the twist, what the true backstories of Jessie and Sam are, andwhat’s next for the Smith familyafter Richard unexpectedly kills Sam right before they leave the island.
Steffen Haars Symbolically Spoiled Get Away’s Twist Early
“That hints at something big in the film…”
ScreenRant: There’s a quick flash of a bug that is blended in with a leaf, and you don’t notice it until the bug moves, and then scenes happen from there. I feel like we were teeing something up there.
Steffen Haars: There is this visual element of this. I mean, the film starts somewhere with a shot of a caterpillar on a leaf and then we make a focus to the car, which is driving on the road, and the caterpillar is of course a symbol of change, evolving in something. There’s this one moment where we see this cocoon on this leaf and a butterfly comes out, which was quite interesting to get that in shot. That sort of stands for the family who were then after that walking around with their weapons or butterflies flying around them. That hints at something big in the film.
Croft & Ayres Reveal Sam & Jessie’s True Identities
“They’re not a family…”
Sebastian, I was shocked when your character perished because I was so bought in that he was a part of the family. The moment that I want to dissect with you is when you, Sam, and Jesse are like, ‘Oh, let’s do mama, mama.’ That told me that you’ve done this before, you’ve been down this road, but then we come to learn, you’re not even a part of the family. How long has Sam been working with this crew? What was the backstory of that character?
Sebastian Croft: I love that moment so much. Just that whole sequence was so much fun to film and the way it was shot and the whole way it played out was just awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever felt quite so cool than the first shot where we got to open out our weapons and I was practicing that butterfly knife trick in my hotel room, the whole shoot, and it was quite near the end and we did it and I saw it in slow motion and I was like, ‘This is so cool.’ This is the first time we’ve spoken about it with anyone, so I’m freaking out that I get to talk about it.
Not only are they serial killers, but they’re also not a family. I think maybe Nick and Aisling’s characters are genuinely in love or have some kind of weird sexual relationship, but I’m definitely not their kid. I think I’ve maybe done one holiday before with them. I think it ended up getting cut, but originally Nick had this idea for this app where serial killers, it’s basically like dating, but they’d be matched into families so they could go off as secret families and kill people. I think I’d done one holiday before with them and I think me and Nick just didn’t like each other, and we got on each other’s nerves, and that whole father-son dynamic of them biting at each other is actually like, ‘I want to kill you.’ They have this history of not liking each other and then s–t hits the fan.
Maisie, I did want to get your thoughts as well on the ending of the film, because what really shocked me is we get this twist and at first you’re like, ‘Okay, they’re the heroes and they’re still taking the people out,’ but then you’re like, ‘Are they the heroes?’ Because they seem pretty antagonistic when we wrap up. Are the police in on it? What’s going on there?
Maisie Ayres: Well, yeah, so it’s like they basically get away with it. They managed to blame it all on the islanders and the family get to continue playing as if they’ve been brutally attacked. So for Jesse, it’s like, yeah, it is the best holiday ever because even though, I mean Sam died, which was unfortunate, but at the end of the day, she’s had the time of her life, she’s gotten a great holiday, a lot of stuff’s happened, and even though she’s in a lot of pain, I can’t believe we got away with it. I think she’s someone who lives for the thrill, and doesn’t really feel alive unless she’s massacring basically. So I think for her it’s like this has been such an adrenaline kick. So yeah, it was the best holiday ever because even though things went wrong at the end, they got away scot-free.
Are There Possibilities ForGet Away 2?
“I would love to take this a little bit further…”
If there was an idea to possibly flesh out this world a little bit more, is that something you’d be interested in? Is there another story to tell with this family and possibly adding in a new fourth? Rest in peace, Sam.
Steffen Haars: Not having Sam is terrible, but I mean, he needed to die. That was also very important. But yeah, I would love that. I would love to take this a little bit further and I mean, yeah, of course we joked about that and chatted about that. There are some ideas of course. But yeah, I mean this world is just a very interesting world of all these serial killers getting together and going to these places just to have a great holiday. I mean, if two families would meet each other, they would go to the same place. I mean, that could be very interesting. I don’t know. There’s lots of interesting ideas in the air.
More About Get Away (2024)
The Smith family’s much-needed vacation to the remote Swedish island of Svalta takes a dark turn when they arrive during preparations for a mysterious local festival that celebrates a dark history. Unsettled by the unfriendly locals and strange rituals, they attempt to make the best of their trip, stubbornly enjoying the island’s isolation and natural beauty. However, as the festival looms closer, the family realizes something far more sinister is unfolding—especially when they discover that a serial killer is on the loose.
Get Away
Cast
A family’s vacation to a remote island turns into a nightmare when they discover a serial killer is targeting them. Combining dark humor with chilling suspense, the show explores the family’s desperate struggle for survival as they attempt to outwit their relentless pursuer.
