Jordan Peele’s Us sets a high bar as one of 2019’s top thrillers with a smart and complex story that will be sure to keep you up at night.
Once again, Peele proves to be a master of suspense. His unique storytelling provides a complicated and intelligent narrative. While on summer vacation with her family, Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o) grows paranoid as bad memories of her childhood come back to haunt her. Her fears soon become a reality as she and her family come face-to-face with supernatural doppelgängers out to kill them. The loving and devoted family tries to survive the night against the horrors that haunt the shadows.
The film has many twists and turns that make the story more intense. The ending of the film is unpredictable, confusing, and intriguing all at the same time, and it even provides an M. Night Shyamalan-like twist to shock its audience even more.
If you are looking for a horror film that will make you jump from your seat, this isn’t it. This thriller is supposed to make you think twice about things and give you a creepy sensation while doing it. It certainly will do just that because the film felt like a long episode from the well-known TV series, The Twilight Zone, which Peele will be bringing back to CBS. The film also has comedy to sprinkle throughout the run time, which doesn’t feel forced.
One of my favorite things about the film was how gory it was. There was a surprising amount of
bloodshed in Us, which felt right at home with the film. From scissors, baseball bats, and fire
pokers, there was just enough violence to go around to please even the most diehard horror fans.
It takes a distinctive and talented cast to make the film more authentic, and the cast of Us is a prime example of that, specifically Nyong’o. She does a terrific job showing that she can play different types of roles at the same time: the heroine and the antagonist. She was emotional and terrifying to watch, and there is no doubt that she will win awards for her incredible acting.
Winston Duke, who plays her husband and the comedic relief of the family, is quite effective with his work too. It’s tough to be the comedic relief and play a serious role at the same time, but Duke pulls it off. He is a talented actor and will have you laughing at his jokes throughout the film, even during the serious moments.
Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex, who played the children of the family, acted surprisingly well. Joseph’s doppelgänger character, especially, creeped me out the most because of how much the character smiled and wanted to kill everyone. The same can be said about Alex’s pyro-maniac doppelgänger too.
The music for the film is just outstanding. It’s incredibly creepy and amplifies the suspense throughout the film. Michael Abels, who has been composing music ever since he was eight, is the mastermind behind the horrifying music. Us was Ables’s second feature film, while Get Out was his first. Hopefully, he will collaborate with Peele again to bring us another thriller for the ages.
The cinematography and direction is another highlight. Peele’s ability to express himself with spine-chilling visuals and add a hair-raising soundtrack is phenomenal. For instance, there is a scene where the family and the doppelgänger family are sitting in the living room together, as shown in the trailers for the film, and it dispenses great camera work as things start to unfold between the two look-a-like families. Us is a marvelous ensemble of an intriguing story, well-talented actors, a powerful soundtrack, and the wonderful direction by Peele. It’s a film that will make you not want to look at your own reflection. It’s a film that sets a new high for all thriller and suspenseful films, and hopefully, Get Out and Us are only the beginning of what Peele has to offer. The film is unarguably worth time and money. I’m certainly going to go back and watch it this weekend to satisfy my need for more.
