Us Film Review
It’s up to “Us” to figure it out
When Get Out came out in 2017, I didn’t know what to expect. I was hypnotised…
I’d get out of the cinema and make it my favourite film of the year!
So when I found out that director, Jordan Peele, was shooting another horror/thriller… I think all of Us couldn’t wait to go see it.
Fast-forward to now and some might be regretting that decision.
While the narrative and social commentary in Get Out were pretty easy to comprehend, Us leaves a lot to interpretation. That’s not everyone’s cup of tea…
Just like the characters in the film, you’ll be grappling with yourself.
Too many questions, not enough answers. The biggest question of them all being…
Did I like this or not?
More on that later.
The Story
Us begins with a flashback of Adelaide Wilson (played by Lupita Nyong’o) as a child going for an ill-advised walk along the beach where she encounters a creepy House of Mirrors…
Usually, at this point, most kids would get the hell out of there, but this is a horror movie and people do dumb things in horror movies. Adelaide walks in.
Fast-forward to now and Adelaide’s all grown up. Her husband’s taking the family out for a trip to the same beach!!!
“I Got 5 On It” plays on the radio and Mr Wilson tells his son not to do drugs. The smartest thing any character does in this film!
Needless to say, the family trip doesn’t go well and the Wilsons are visited by a creepy family in red…
Wrong family!!! I mean this one…
They’re just as evil.
The Cast
If you haven’t worked it out yet, the family that visits the Wilsons are actually evil versions of themselves…
Which means the cast have a rare opportunity to play two roles in the same film! No one does a better job with the dual responsibility than Lupita Nyong’o…
As the leading lady, she’s a force to be reckoned with. I hope she gets a bigger role in the Black Panther sequel. She’s more of an action film star than Brie Larson…
Speaking of Marvel alumni, Winston Duke (also in Black Panther) plays Adelaide’s lovable husband, Gabe…
He’s so funny in this film I just wanna give him a hug.
I also want his role expanded for Black Panther 2. Hmm… do we really need to bring Black Panther back after the Snap anyway? Just give Shuri the mantle and you’ve got another blockbuster film!
As for the kids, they’re also pretty good. Especially, Shahadi Wright Joseph…
Her creepy girl routine is so good, it’s scary. I guess that’s the point.
Technical Aspects
It’s hard to fault Us on a technical level, it’s flawless.
Beautiful cinematography, iconic costumes, and a chilling remix of “I’ve Got 5 On It” that’s used to great effect. The editing is also a cut above the rest…
It’s also hilarious. Mixing in moments of horror with moments of laughter… or is it nervous laughter?
Where the film falters is only in the writing. Jordan Peele is an incredible filmmaker and has earned his coveted spot. However, the followup album is always the hardest and I wonder if he’s already hit his peak.
I hope not. Get Out is a clever piece of writing and Us is certainly clever. Yet it might be too clever for its own good.
Conclusion
A film can’t survive on technical skills alone. Us can be studied in film schools for years to come and possibly will. Yet, it can’t be a film for film nerds only like Peele…
Well, it can… but if Peele wants to continue making commercial films and not go down the indie route, he might need to tone down the ambiguity just a bit.
A film like Us should appeal to most… of… you know what I mean!
It should hold the audience by the hand…
And take them on a journey, but don’t leave them stranded in the middle of nowhere!
No, don’t give us ALL the answers… but give Us enough to figure it out ourselves! Now, back to visiting the various online forums trying to make sense of what I just watched.
3.5 out of 5 scissors
Thanks for reading, for another film that’s not complicated…
