Us (5/5) – Movie Review

Us is the new horror movie from Jordan Peele. He shook us all with Get Out a few years ago and his second horror movie is at least as good. In fact, this is an instant horror classic. Us is a damn fine horror masterpiece!

Us is a horror movie that could easily suffer under the massive expectations of it. After Jordan Peele made Get Out in 2017, we’ve been eagerly awaiting his next movie. 

Especially after Get Out made a ton of money at the box office (which no one seemed to see coming). And then, Jordan Peele ended up winning a much-deserved Academy Award for the Get Out screenplay.

Also: Read our review of Get Out >

Now, Us is finally here and it does not disappoint! Compared to Get Out, this movie offers a lot more horror and feels like one big tribute to the genre.

In every single way, Us is a horror movie masterpiece. Yes, Jordan Peele did it again!

Absolutely brilliant performances in Us

Even though the story is the heart of the movie, the performances of the actors are what creates an actual heartbeat. Every single one of the main and supporting actors essentially has to play two characters. They are both their “normal” character and their homicidal doppelgänger.

This also means you’ll get to watch both kids and parents in some grotesque and horrifying situations. Basically, all the doppelgängers want to kill their copy and take their place in the world. 

Obviously, this is grossly oversimplifying the concept of the story (especially in the more symbolic sense). But you’ll have to watch Us for yourself to figure out how – and why. Please, don’t let yourself be spoiled before watching this one!

All the actors in Us are giving brilliant performances, but I have to mention Lupita Nyong’o specifically. She is absolutely phenomenal. Her character – or rather characters – are key to the plot and the story both begins and ends with her.

The thought of being faced with a homicidal doppelgänger version of yourself is terrifying enough. And especially for Lupita Nyong’o since her doppelgänger seems to be an alpha version of herself. We also get the most insight to both versions of her which is why she carries so much of the movie.

Us is a tribute to the horror genre

Jordan Peele is a huge fan of our beloved horror genre. And to make sure his cast was onboard with the genre, they were given homework. In preparation, they were asked to watch ten horror movies. Those movies should be the following:

• The Birds (1963)
• The Shining (1980)
• Dead Again (1991)
• Funny Games (1997)
• The Sixth Sense (1999)
• A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
• Martyrs (2008)
• Let the Right One In (2008)
• The Babadook (2014)
• It Follows (2014)

When looking at the above horror movie titles, you get a pretty good idea of what to expect from Us. Especially when it comes to the fight for survival and trying to understand what the hell is going on. At times, Us almost feels like one of the best zombie movies ever; Our characters are chased by someone who seems to be fearless and relentless.

Also, the score and soundtrack are downright brilliant in all the best horror ways. We get the intense and crazy violins that cut through any noise. And before we get to that, we start with the most ominous sounding choir not unlike what we know from other horror classics.

Oh yeah, and then there are the iconic rap songs. Including the most awesome rendition performed by a full orchestra at the height of the craziness.

Jordan Peele is a new horror master

We love talking of James Wan (The Conjuring) and Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House) as some of the new masters of horror. To me, Jordan Peele belongs in that very same category right alongside them.

He writes, produces, and directs his how movies. And even though he only has two horror movies out so far, his style and plots are very definitive and unique. Also, he’s the man behind yet another revival of The Twilight Zone which will premiere on CBS Digital on April 1, 2019.

Jordan Peele is focusing on telling stories with black people at the center, which has definitely been missing from the horror genre. Also, he always manages to include white characters as well. And the white characters in his movies get a much better treatment [as fully fledged characters] than black characters in movies with primarily white characters.

However, Jordan Peele isn’t focused on race issues in Us. Or rather, not directly, since we’re battling alternative versions of ourselves.

Bottom line: If you love horror, then you definitely want to watch Us.

And if you loved Get Out, then I don’t even have to tell you this. Instead, I just need to remind you that Jordan Peele’s Us premiered at SXSW a few weeks ago and is finally out in theaters!

Don’t wait and risk getting spoiled. Just go now… actually, run!

Us is out in wide release in US theaters from March 22, 2019. And in most other countries worldwide as well!

Details

Director: Jordan Peele
Writer: Jordan Peele
Stars: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anna Diop, Madison Curry

Plot

Set in present day along the iconic Northern California coastline, Us stars Lupita Nyong’o as Adelaide Wilson, a woman returning to her beachside childhood home with her husband, Gabe), and their two children for an idyllic summer getaway.

Haunted by an unexplainable and unresolved trauma from her past and compounded by a string of eerie coincidences, Adelaide feels her paranoia elevate to high-alert as she grows increasingly certain that something bad is going to befall her family.

After spending a tense beach day with their friends, the Tylers, Adelaide and her family return to their vacation home. When darkness falls, the Wilsons discover the silhouette of four figures holding hands as they stand in the driveway. Us pits an endearing American family against a terrifying and uncanny opponent: doppelgängers of themselves.