Us Reviews

One of the common themes on my "favorite movies of all time" list is the ability of a film to be genre-diverse without being generic (or in other words, do everything it bites off well). "Us" is one of those rare experiences, as it expertly combines horror, drama, comedy, and social messaging with equally strong cinematography, acting, and music. In short, one more could a single film hope to provide the viewer?

For a very basic overview, "Us" opens with young Adelaide (Madison Curry) having a traumatic experience at the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk. Flashing forward years into the future, Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) and husband Gabe (Winston Duke) are vacationing in the same area with children Jason (Evan Alex) and Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph). What starts as a pretty typical middle-class family vacation quickly takes a dark turn when a family shows up in the driveway of their getaway bungalow in the middle of the night. The Wilsons quickly discover that this mystery family is a doppelgänger of their own unit--but in a dark, twisted way.

No matter what setting writer/director Jordan Peele uses in "Us", it is a joy to behold. He is a master at not letting a single moment go to waste and very much knows how to balance intense drama with subtly-placed social messaging while also featuring some humor to break the tension when necessary. There was never a moment during my viewing where I was not engaged by either the plot or characters.

Besides those landmark tenets, the atmosphere created by the acting, visuals, and music/sound creates even more immersion. Many shots in "Us" are iconic (girl with the red apple, doppelgänger with the scissors, etc.), and the music's swelling orchestral riffs and utilization of hip-hop's "I Got 5 On It" are also unique. The acting across the board is exceptional, with each of the leads portraying dual roles with uncanny precision. Talents like Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker are even used in supporting roles, if that says anything about the star power here.

It is somewhat ironic that Peele would go on to helm a Twilight Zone reboot, as the plot of "Us" plays out like the best of Rod Serling's classic originals. Supremely entertaining in all fashions, with a revelation at the end that makes one re-contextualize the entire experience. Peele does not hammer home the social messaging here at any specific point, instead opting to seed the entire film with it and then provide the watering can in the final moments. Pure genius, from a storytelling perspective.

Overall, I consider "Us" to be one of the most well-rounded films ever made. It engages all the senses, is extremely entertaining, and also makes one think on a deeper level than most movies of similar ilk. Cinema at its finest.

As usual, the terror is better when a everyday life realism, a real anxious world is well constructed in the beginning. That's good with Pelle and Ari Aster. ..

Jordan Peele made a colossal impact with his debut feature "Get Out" and all eyes were on him when time came for his follow-up effort. The burden of the sophomore slump has taken many down with it but its pretty safe to say that Peele won't be one among those. "Us" proved that he not only deserves to be in the genre but that he is truly an innovator that it desperately needs.

The story follows Adelaide Wilson (a riveting Lupita Nyong'o) whose childhood encounter with a picture perfect double of herself leaves her seemingly traumatized into adulthood. When visiting the place of that encounter during a vacation later in life, she and her family are confronted by their duplicates, angry beings that crave the life that their counterparts have for themselves.

"Us" is conceptually rich and excitingly original. Even if one can trace the idea of doppelgangers to plenty of folk tales, Peele takes that eerie concept out of the realm of rumor and into that of feasibly realistic while never losing any of the otherworldy aura. A deft feat indeed and achieved here by making the origins of the doppelgangers not so much the point of the story more than a reason for it to happen.

Though much entertainment and intrigue is derived from working out the the origins of these creatures (dubbed the Tethered) the real wallop of the story comes from its subtext and almost cautionary message. Yes, much like "Get Out" before it there are bigger things at play here but, dare I say, the horror takes the front seat in this one and Peele's approach to social commentary is much more deft and careful. In the span of two films his touch was expertly refined making this movie much easier to digest as entertainment while never once losing sight of its goals.

Adding to the appeal of the film is the fact that the villains are, in effect, played by the very same people playing the protagonists. Nyong'o shines in the dual roles and if i were forced to give you only one good reason to see this movie I'd say watch it to see her work. Peele also has quite the eye for making the uncanny feel uncomfortable and credible while never losing any artistic touch. The outstanding and unique score, as well, contributes to the unsettling atmosphere. Special kudos to Peele's continued innovative approach to tension relieving comedy in his work. It proves a breath of fresh air to the standards that have plagued the genre for years.

The Tethered themselves fall in that category that brands them immediately iconic with their strikingly red jumpsuits and jerky, volatile demeanor. It's definitely no easy task to create something so simple and yet so instantly recognizable. Coupled with a genuinely interesting backstory and, more importantly, being utilized to represent the manner in which we tend to create our own greatest foes by keeping certain people "in our shadows" but never allowing them to rise, the Tethered prove that they are also substance above style.

To say more about "Us" is to ruin a genuinely engaging experience. Peele has sealed his status as an important figure in horror and in the course of two films has elevated the art. "Us" walks that fine line between message and entertainment expertly. It also provides us with some of the most memorable, original, and disturbing villains in a good long while. By no means miss this movie. I give "Us" a 9.5 out of 10.

Arriving precipitously placed in the shadow of its well-executed, subversive predecessor, "Get Out", Jordan Peele's multi-layered take on the adage "we are our own worst enemies" does fall short of eclipsing its edgier forerunner but succeeds in its scathing exploratory attack on the hypocrisies and paradoxes of the United States, the conjugal family unit and the incognizant nature of society. Peele's biting satirical verve adds an even creepier dimension to the themes explored in his films, but here they are less conspicuous and bluntly delivered to the audience as in "Get Out"; many of the allusions, motifs and symbols detract from the cohesion of the plot, which becomes increasingly convoluted and uneven towards the denouement. In punctuating the film with references as diverse as the Bible, Black Flag (Jeremiah 11:11, IIII - four) to Michael Jackson (duality) and horror movies (red boiler suit and glove/scissors reminiscent of Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger), Peele's derivative myriad of citations are the connective tissue of the eventual twist that once revealed is nowhere near as outré as it should be. In its current form, "Us", although not as witty, pervious or cogent as "Get Out", is an illustrious second entry in Peele's body of work, and although the final twist fails to truly satisfy, the unbearably creepy, foreboding feel, sharp comic relief and its fully-realized characters more than compensates for its plot and pacing pitfalls. Nevertheless, despite its faults, the faceted, diverting surface elements of the film usurp the coiled interpretive model that the script employs as it progresses; if you enjoy a pretentiously written and delivered horror film in the same vein as "Hereditary", then I would highly recommend it.