Us - 98% Perfection (Spoiler Free)

Back in 2017, comedic performer and writer Jordan Peele made his feature film debut with the horror masterpiece Get Out. The story of a young interracial couple heading into the country to spend the weekend with the in-laws only to discover a more sinister and unnerving plot in motion. It was a smash hit earning Jordan Peele the Acadamy Award for Best Original Screenplay as well as nominations for Best Director and Best Picture. More importantly, it established Jordan Peele as a genuine talent for real horror cinema: as in films that are well crafted and comment on the human condition that also happen to be scary rather than the torture-porn jump-scare fests we tend to get more often than not. I was incredibly impressed (and still very much am) with Get Out and became overwhelmingly eager to see what the next step would be. Having now seen his much awaited follow up film, Us, I am happy to report that Jordan Peele has once again struck gold with his new nightmare. While this may not be as clever or as memorable as Get Out, at least to me, it still succeeds in delivering a scary, unsettling, and profound experience in its own way. Despite one minor flaw which I will get to momentarily.

The story follows a family of four arriving at their Summer house for a vacation with plenty of fun things to do, including fishing, boat riding, and days at the Santa Cruz Beaches. Our main protagonist Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o), is less than thrilled to visit said beaches due to a mysterious childhood trauma she experienced there. After a day at the Beach, they all return to the house, but just before everyone can get to bed, they are suddenly confronted by four strangers clad in Red waving large Scissors. Soon after their arrival, we discover that these strangers are actually exact Dopplegängers of themselves, and they do not seem friendly. Now, our heroes must survive the night and unravel the mystery of these strange and other creatures stalking them.

As I mentioned before, this is a genuinely true horror film. To me, horror is not about how much you can scare an audience with creepy ghosts, blood & guts, or loud and repetitive jump-scares, but instead about how you can take a profound theme or subject matter and tell a compelling yet nervewracking story about it. The most obvious comparison to make would be The Twilight Zone, which, incidentally, Jordan Peele is a fan of and will be hosting the upcoming reboot. The stories from that show were not necessarily horror, at least not all of the time, they were stories exploring strange ideas and real-world concerns that just so happened to be scary.

Us takes that very notion and through carefully crafted visuals,  nuanced performances, and witty writing (mostly), not only delivers an exploration of duality but also of nature vs. nurture, perception, and the horrible concept of "The Other." The ones who look like us but just can't be, because they're savage and could never be really like us. Except, they can be us.

The acting from the entire cast is what sells the film. Every one of the named characters gets to play their "evil" twin, and it is gleefully clear how much fun they are all having. Each and every performer distinguishes their dual roles brilliantly and performs them both with vast amounts of conviction and passion. Even the child actors are incredible. Needless to say, the MVP award goes to the leading lady Lupita Nyong'o, who carries the movie on her shoulders.

As you might expect, director Jordan Peele shows his mastery in the director's chair. Much like James Wan (another master of horror cinema) Jordan is excellent with actors, has a keen eye for crafty & creepy shot composition, and successfully creates an atmosphere of tension and unease. This may very well be the guy to bring back pure horror cinema, and I could not be more delighted at that prospect. Hell, I'm not even a serious horror fan, but I appreciate it when it's good like this. It's a whole lot better than what passes as "horror" these days, with their cheap jump-scares, and their overreliance on gore, and their incompetent writing, and their...okay, I'm going on a tangent. Sorry.

Now, as much as I enjoy singing the film's praises (because they are well earned), there is one little flaw that prevents me from ranking it higher than Get Out. It is in regards to the ending twist which, as I have already stated in the title of this review, I will not spoil here. What I will say is, while I understand and appreciate what the twist wanted to accomplish, and can understand those who may or may not have seen it coming, I personally don't think it was as well executed as it really should have been. The twist, while still clever in its own way, is executed in such a manner that it raises questions about the story which did not really need to be brought up. Also, it unintentionally diminishes the air of mystery that was otherwise perfectly executed throughout the film. This could very likely be a case of Studio interference but we may never know.

Despite this minor yet ever-present flaw, I was still absolutely impressed with this movie. Not only does it reaffirm Jordan Peele as a genuine talent, but it also gives new life to the horror genre. If you can handle scary movies, then you owe it to yourself to see this one. Just don't blame me if you suddenly develop a new fear of Scissors and/or Mirrors.

Is this film worth seeing?
Yes.

Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Yes.

Why?
It's yet another case of a really talented filmmaker showing us all how horror should be done. It's scary, brilliant in so many ways, and profoundly socially relevant. Do not miss this one.

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.