Us Movie Review

Meeting your doppelgänger never looked so scary.

by Sharuna Warner
Movies & TV Shows Review

17

Us Movie Review

Jordan Peele’s second feature examines the wider population of America and doesn’t draw lines between race - everyone is fair game here.

The horror film has always been a playground for filmmakers to have their say on the state of the current climate in which they live. It offers them the opportunity to play with the unreal, the unexplainable and the macabre. It allows for anything to become a horrifying reality for the whole running time of a film.

In 2017 comedy actor Jordan Peele turned his hand to both writing and directing and released the heavily praised and widely discussed Get Out. His film explored the modern ‘black experience’ through a lens that had not forgotten the past and examined what I suppose can be called, to some, ‘white-liberal-racism’. Suffice to say it set tongues wagging and sparked debate amongst many. Now, two years later, Peele is back behind the camera and has released his second film, one that he also wrote, and this time he’s cast his net very wide and everyone, regardless of colour, is under threat.

The story is one that has echoes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers but strikes a more poignant tone

The young family Wilson are off on their summer vacation to their holiday home near Santa Cruz. Headed up by parents mum Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) and dad Gabe (Winston Duke), along with their two kids in tow, preteen Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and little brother Jason (Evan Alex), the Wilsons’ are hoping for a summer of fun, frolics and family time.

Unfortunately for Adelaide, a day trip to Santa Cruz beach is marred by long forgotten memories that make an upsetting comeback. She describes a ‘black cloud’ looming over her following the day trip which is sure to be exacerbated when a family more than just resembling her own begins to terrorise them with deadly intent.
Us
Us is without a doubt another film in the horror movie cannon that has a wider message just beneath the surface — and it presents this both literally and figuratively within the film. However, it is also very good, albeit very traditional, horror movie stock. It plays with the same deck of cards its predecessors did and even though at times does feel a bit predictable, it largely remains entertaining throughout. The story is one that has echoes of Invasion of the Body Snatchers but strikes a more poignant tone. It questions the way in which we treat others who are of a different class to us and also beckons us to take a closer look at ourselves and our behaviour. There’s a line spoken by one doppelgänger who utters the words ‘We are Americans’ and this could be the most significant moment throughout the whole film as it takes on not only an African-American experience, but that of a privileged-American experience.

Peele’s latest flick is no standard fare, with the opening scene featuring a number of caged (mostly) white rabbits it does feel like we have fallen head first down the rabbit hole just like Alice; and the constant and repetitive use of reflections and mirrors underlines the sense of a shattered reality. What starts of as a home-invasion type narrative quickly evolves into something going in the completely opposite direction. And, even though this does keep you hooked in and eager to know how and why, it does give way to predicability a teeny bit.

Us is both a good horror film and a horror film that has a message

Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther, 12 Years a Slave) is great in the lead role of Adelaide, the wife and mother who wants to protect her family, but she is equally as good as ‘Red’ - her doppelgänger. She exudes determination and desperation simultaneously in her fight to protect her family. Winston Duke (also in Black Panther) without a doubt plays second fiddle to Nyong’o but it works and he compliments her seriousness with a comedic air through Gabe’s fumbling and flustering attempt at being the macho head of the family (although he does fair pretty well in spite of this). Both children are good, with Shahadi Wright Joseph’s Zora taking a slightly larger portion of the lime light - but she is brilliant and looks completely natural on screen, even when using a golf club for a completely different purpose. In a smaller role is Elisabeth Moss, playing a somewhat ditzy character called Kitty. Clearly having some fun in a role that is a far cry from her more serious ones, Moss still delivers the goods.

Us is both a good horror film and a horror film that has a message. It could be dissected and examined for months, years even, but ultimately it is a film that shows us that we are quite possibly our own worst enemies, amongst other things. A slightly meatier film compared to Get Out and this time not afraid of trying for a 10 on the blood-and-gore-o-metre. It’s a fun film and you can take what you want from it, and judging by the laughs that came from the audience as well as a fair few squeals, it seems like it’ll be another hit for Mr Peele.

Scores

Verdict

.
.
8

8
AVForumsSCORE
OUT OF
10

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