Jordan Peele's first movie was as big a success as any writer/director could have possibly hoped for. It was a massive box office success, it got audiences talking, and it won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. That's a tough act to follow, but now Peele is back with his brand new movie. Us hit theaters today and it had a lot to live up to. However, in the opinion of most of us here at CinemaBlend, Peele has another huge winner.
I wrote the official review and there really wasn't enough good that I could say about Us, I gave the movie 4.5 stars out of five. It is a chilling horror movie while being an equally chilling allegory. Much like Get Out, it's a movie that leaves you questioning not only the world around you, but also yourself.
Once again, as in Get Out, Jordan Peele finds the greatest way to scare the hell out of you is to make you take a good hard look at yourself.
Us follows a family of four on vacation in Santa Cruz when their peaceful time together is interrupted by another family of four, a quartet of twisted doppelgangers who have arrived to torture and torment their opposites. The who and the why of it all is the stuff of serious spoilers, but needless to say it's all pretty terrifying.
But there's also so much more to it than that. There's a lot to potentially dissect about Us. While the movie works as a straight forward horror movie if that's all you're looking for, there are many layers to what Jordan Peele has put in front of us. Some are obvious, others less so. This makes it the sort of movie you'll want to run out and talk to people about as soon as you see it. CinemaBlend Managing Director Sean O'Connell recommends that you not only see Us, but you see it with friends...twice...
Us proves that Jordan Peele isn't a one-hit wonder. It also proves that, after only two films, he's already operating on a higher level than most seasoned storytellers. Going more "horror" than the socio-political commentary of Get Out, Us tells a twisted tale of doppelgängers and home invasions, suggesting that the enemies who should scare us the most might just be ourselves. See it with a group, because you're going to want to discuss this with people immediately after you see it... and then go see it again.
Is there anything that can even be said about Jordan Peele that hasn't already been said? The man had already proven himself to be one of the smartest comedians out there, and he shows how closely comedy and horror are truly linked by proving he's the best working today when it comes to horror movies. As the creative force behind, now, two of the best movies of the last two years, We know Jordan Peele is everything he appears to be.
Sr. Movie Contributor Mike Reyes is another who sings the praises of Jordan Peele, but is also sure to give a shout out to the real MVP of Us, star Lupita Nyong'o.
With Us, writer/director Jordan Peele only further cements his position as a storyteller and satirist of the highest order. His story of doppelgangers out for revenge dives deep into some dark waters of paranoia and social commentary, but does so in such a manner that it never forgets to entertain its audience. Furthermore, Lupita N'yongo delivers a masterclass of acting, as her dual role is the centerpiece of a complex film that's only going to get better with age and repeated views.
Jordan Peele's previous directorial effort Get Out, was one of those films that many have a tough time classifying. While most would certainly call it a horror movie, it was one made without some of the elements that many would closely associate with the genre. Us, is a much more straight forward horror movie, as it has monsters and more on-screen violence, but that doesn't mean it's an easier movie to categorize. CinemaBlend's Braden Roberts loved the way Us was able to be more than one thing, and be all of them so well.
Jordan Peele’s Us is a trapeze act that manages to juggle horror, thriller and even comedic elements on an increasingly intense scale. To place a single genre on the film would be wrong as it’s a harmonious amalgam of fear and delight. Not to mention Luipta Nyong’o, whose performance alone is reason enough to get out and see Us in theaters.
Of course, while most of us who saw Us loved it, there is rarely complete agreement when it comes to art, especially here at CinemaBlend. Product Manager Cody Beck just wasn't able to connect with Us in the way that the rest of us were. While he certainly appreciated various elements of the film, he felt those elements just weren't able to come together in a satisfying way.
Us definitely did a beautiful job of telling a story, it was just a story that never fully pulled me in. Peele’s sophomore film was intense and brutal, yet also funny and full of great pop culture references spanning decades and while the story itself was unique and clearly symbolic of real-world issues, it was also just a bit too bizarre for me to fully accept. I still recommend horror fans check it out and I’m still just as eager to see his upcoming reboot of The Twilight Zone.
While the praise might not be universal, it is largely positive. Jordan Peele certainly has another thrilling movie on his hands that is going to get audiences talking. If the box office estimates are any indication, it will also be a huge financial success as well. If we all run out to see it more than once, as many are suggesting is worth doing, that's only going to make it that much more of a success. This is the one everybody is going to be talking about, and it's one you're going to want to ask everybody about after you see it.
Us is in theaters now.
