The Paranoia of It Comes At Night by Jared Watson

What is it to be human? What does it take to have humanity? One might say compassion, sympathy, and mercy. Would it be possible to hold those values without a level of trust? Is trust a requirement for cooperation?

When living in a tribe, cut off from the world, one must be cautious of outsiders. Outsiders want your food, water, and resources. They want your life. If one comes in contact with an outsider, it is one's prerogative to kill, or face being killed.

Humans are a social species, and we have found that working together produces the best outcomes for everyone. To go against this mentality is to yield conflict, a detriment to the survival of the species. So we moved on from our old tribal distrust, and developed healthy communication between the tribes. Under the right circumstances, an old threat reveals itself. It's back, and this time It Comes At Night, returning as paranoia.

It Comes At Night (2017, dir by Trey Edward Schults, A24, USA) tells the story of a family who have secluded themselves in the woods due to a deadly virus that has overcome the cities. The family has acclimated to their situation, becoming self sustaining. They have essentially become a four person tribe. After the grandfather succumbs to the illness plaguing the area, his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson find themselves met with another family who are not quite as self sustaining.

An opportunity arises to grow their tribe. With more people, they can better defend their home, and have partners to socialize with. In the end however, the other family are still outsiders, and outsiders always come with an air of unpredictability. Will our protagonists let a healthy trust flourish with the other family, or will they let paranoia cloud their judgment?

This is one of those great horror-thrillers that both delivers cinematic thrills and raises key fundamental questions about what we would do in a similar situation. Check it out and see what conclusions you come to.

Jared Watson is a moviemaker, writer, and avid cinefile. Check out his work: https://www.ridgeviewdrive.com/