It Follows (2014) Ending Explained

TL;DR:
The ending of It Follows (2014) leaves audiences with ambiguous closure. After a harrowing battle against the relentless supernatural entity, protagonist Jay (Maika Monroe) and her friends believe they have temporarily escaped its pursuit. However, the final scene shows Jay and her boyfriend Paul (Keir Gilchrist) walking hand-in-hand while an indistinct figure follows them in the background. This suggests the entity may still be stalking them, leaving the ending open to interpretation-either they've found a way to live with the threat, or it's only a matter of time before it catches up.

Detailed Explanation of the Ending:
The climax of It Follows sees Jay, Paul, and their friends attempting to kill the entity by luring it into their neighborhood pool and electrocuting it. The plan appears to work-the entity is seemingly destroyed, and the group survives. However, the film's final moments undermine this sense of victory. As Jay and Paul walk down the street together, the camera lingers on a distant figure approaching them from behind. The figure's identity is unclear, but its presence implies the entity may still be following them. This haunting final shot reinforces the film's central theme: the inescapability of trauma, fear, and the past.

Director David Robert Mitchell intentionally crafted an ambiguous ending to provoke discussion. The entity in It Follows is a metaphor for the inevitability of death, the lingering effects of trauma, or even the consequences of sexual relationships (given its transmission through intimacy). By leaving the entity's fate uncertain, Mitchell forces viewers to question whether Jay and Paul have truly escaped or if they've simply delayed the inevitable. The film's cyclical structure-echoed in the opening scene of a victim fleeing the entity-suggests that the curse is perpetual, and no one can outrun it forever.

Unresolved Questions & Possible Answers:
1. Is the entity truly gone after the pool scene?
- Possibility 1: Yes, the electrocution worked, and the figure at the end is just a passerby.
- Possibility 2: No, the entity is immortal and has returned, as it always does.
2. Why does the entity sometimes appear as loved ones?
- Possibility 1: To emotionally manipulate its victims.
- Possibility 2: It reflects the victim's deepest fears or regrets.
3. Can the curse ever be broken?
- Possibility 1: No, it's an eternal force like death itself.
- Possibility 2: Yes, but the characters haven't found the right method yet.

Personal Opinion on the Ending & Film:
I find the ending of It Follows brilliantly unsettling. By refusing to provide clear answers, Mitchell ensures the horror lingers long after the credits roll. The film's strength lies in its ability to make the mundane terrifying-the entity could be anyone, anywhere, at any time. The pool scene offers a false sense of security, making the final shot all the more chilling. While some may dislike the lack of resolution, I appreciate how it mirrors real-life anxieties: some fears never truly disappear, and we must learn to live with them.

Overall, It Follows is a masterclass in atmospheric horror. Its dreamlike cinematography, haunting score, and slow-burn tension create a uniquely oppressive experience. The ending perfectly encapsulates the film's themes, leaving just enough ambiguity to spark debate while ensuring the horror remains palpable. It's a rare horror film that relies on psychological dread rather than jump scares, and its open-ended conclusion is a big part of why it stays with you. Whether the entity is still following Jay or not, the fear it represents is undeniably real.