Review: Us

Directed by Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke

The plot follows a family who are confronted by their doppelgängers.

Finally, one of the most anticipated films of this year. Jordan Peele hit the ground running with his first feature film Get Out, which won him his first Academy Award for Best Screenplay. A lot of expectations were made in preparation for this film. After leaving the theater, I have to say that I actually quite enjoyed it, and that Jordan Peele has blown my mind yet again.

The plot was unique and pretty good. The film had a lot of detail within it, which is always welcome, as it allows us to find new interesting easter eggs with every re-watch. The cast were good, especially Nyong'o, who really knocked it out of the park with her role. I was alright with the ending, I felt it was a bit too predictable at times as well, but it didn't stop me from enjoying this film. The movie did leave me with a lot of questions and little answers, but that's what actually excited me, as this was opened up to fan theories, which reminded me of the time when I saw Hereditary for the first time. Speaking about Hereditary, the film gave me similar vibes after the end, as it took me a full night's rest to fully appreciate and understand the film. I definitely think the film does indeed need a re-watch to help understand it better. The tone was inconsistent, as it started pretty serious, then became a comedy. Some of the jokes were good, but most felt pretty forced.

The cinematography was great by Mike Gioulakis, who also shot Get Out. The music was incredibly done by Michael Abels, who definitely captured that eerie and creepy vibe of the film. Oh yeah I cannot get that "I Got 5 on It" track from the film out of my head! To make it better, the sequence where it was used in, was simply insane!

Alright, this is the part where I will rant for quite a while, but I definitely think you should read this, as I poured my whole heart out.

If you are expecting a full-out scare fest and expecting to get jump scared like every other Conjuring universe film, then this is definitely NOT the film for you. Yes it is creepy, but not necessarily to the point that it makes you jump, and for me that's fine, since the film did what it's expected to do, and that was to entertain me. I absolutely hate people who actually think a film is bad because it didn't necessarily scare them. For example, Hereditary probably had only one jump scare the entire film, yet it was goddamn frightening. That folks, is what I call true horror. Sorry for the long rant here, but I am sick of the constant crap that people produce every year. Ghost films here, zombie films there, and killer film that. But whenever Jordan Peele or Ari Aster produce films that are fresh and unique, "it's disappointing". I was a big horror fan, damn I still am, and I 100% appreciate what directors like Jordan are doing to revive and reinvent the genre. Horror has been a laughing stock for films until recent years, and trust me I am happy these directors are working hard and writing down fresh ideas that are both original and creative, instead of the lackluster sequels that we get every year, made with no heart or passion, just to cash out on easy box-office money from those wanting to jump rather than use their own brains.

Yes, with that rant over, the film is receiving mixed reviews from moviegoers, but I personally enjoyed the film. Maybe their expectations weren't matched, but mine were. I got what I expected and more from Mr. Jordan Peele. Say what you want, but I believe that Jordan Peele truly has what it takes to bring the horror genre back to it's better days. With The Twilight Zone releasing this month, we are only getting a glimpse of what Jordan has in store for us, and I for one am very excited.

In conclusion, a unique, dark and twisted film that I thoroughly enjoyed. I definitely recommend seeing it, I cannot say I prefer it to Get Out, but I definitely liked it. I cannot wait for what Jordan Peele has in store for us next.

My rating: 8.5/10

#2019 #FilmReview