Nick Frost is no stranger to horror comedies, having most famously co-starred in Shaun of the Dead, and more recently co-created, co-written and starred in the underrated Amazon series Truth Seekers, so it makes sense that he’d turn his attention to the folk horror sub-genre next. Teaming up with director Steffen Haars, Frost has written, produced and stars in Get Away, releasing on Sky Cinema.

In the film’s opening, we check in with the Smith family — comprised of loving parents Richard and Susan, alongside teenagers Sam and Jessie — listening to Cliff Richard‘s Summer Holiday on their way to a remote Swedish island, Svalta. When they arrive on the ferry, they’re welcomed by what seems to be the entire population of the island with what can only be described as comical hostility. But the family are in need of a break and with the historic Karantan festival in a few days, their holiday can’t be that bad, surely?

There are inevitably shades of The Wicker Man and Midsommar in Frost’s screenplay for Get Away, exploiting the folk horror tropes with delight. The film treads the fine line between comical and horrific, and while the jokes don’t always land, they also don’t undermine the darker aspects of the story. Comparisons with Shaun of the Dead are inevitable, and while that seems a little unfair, it’s clear that Frost and director Steffen Haars have some awareness of what made Shaun work 20 years ago. Get Away isn’t a folk horror spoof but it is a comical homage to the genre, feeling almost like a feature-length Treehouse of Horror segment.

Nick Frost and Aisling Bea are a comic delight together as Richard and Susan, with great on-screen chemistry that anchors the entire film. While I was initially unsure about the two younger leads — Sebastian Croft‘s Sam and Maisie Ayres‘ Jessie — they do come into their own by the end, even if the characters frequently come across simply as obnoxious and irritating teenagers. In the supporting cast, Eero Milonoff is a highlight as their BnB host Matts, switching between deadpan comic delivery and skin-crawling creepiness with ease.

At 86 minutes, Get Away makes sure not to check out too late, climaxing in a violent bloodbath that fully earns its 18 certificate. Despite the film’s (presumably) low budget, the production values are strong throughout, and the score by Hybrid really adds to the atmosphere. What Swedish audiences will make of this oddball folk horror comedy, I’m not sure, but there are plenty of jokes at the expense of the British characters along the way. The film perhaps isn’t as funny or as scary as it could have been, and it might not hold up too well on repeat viewings, but there’s a lot of fun to be had with Get Away, and it’s easy to see the film becoming a bit of a cult hit in years to come.

Get Away is available on Sky Cinema and Now from 10th January

Our review came from the UK Premier, which was also a delightful evening, some photographic highlights lie beneath…