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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.
10/10
