Us Review

Directed by Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss

Rated R  for violence/terror, and language

Us is the sophomore effort from Academy Award winner writer and director Jordan Peele. Peele’s previous film , Get Out, was critically acclaimed due to his smart and funny screenplay that has a social message to racism of today. When Us was announced as Peele’s next project, I immediately asked how could Peele make another film as good as Get Out. Us is a film that does not disappoint in the scares.

Us is a suspended filled horror film that stars Lupita Nyong’o who is fighting off, along with her family, a group of doppelgangers who are terrorizing her. Peele brings in his sense of humor in a dark and twisted plot and it works well. Many times in horror films, we see characters who try to be funny or witty but it comes out dry or unfunny. But considering Peele’s background in comedy, his comedy in the screenplay brings light in a terrifying scene. That is what is makes Us unique and different from other horror films.

While watching Us, I was comparing this to the works of Alfred Hitchcock. Although it can be a bit unfair to compare Peele to the legendary director, there is a reason why the comparison can be made. Both Peele and Hitchcock are good at making suspense. If one Hitchcock film could be compared to Us, it would have to be The Birds. Both The Birds and Us both take place in California where an outside force start to attack our main characters and the town the setting takes place. Both films feel like something that would be apart of the Twilight Zone. But as mentioned before, it is unfair to compare Peele to Hitchcock as Peele is probably influenced by Hitchcock but wants to follow is his own path in film making.

There is never a dull moment in Us. It is a smart and intriguing film that will have the viewer on their edge of their seat. The main actors, Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke, are great in Us and should be praised . But if one complaint had to be made, it is the twist ending. Without giving out any spoilers, I will say that the twist is smart and clever but it does not make sense and does not work, considering what we have been told throughout the story. Us is a funny and smart film that gives life to the horror genre, I highly recommend this one.

3.5/4