Jordan Peele is back and he does not disappoint! Before you read this review, you should know that I am not a fan of horror films and I get scared very easily. I was a big fan of Get Out and although even the concept of seeing this new film terrified me, I just HAD to see what Peele had in store this time.
The cast was absolutely phenomenal. Lupita Nyong'o is the definite stand-out as she plays the protagonist, Adelaide, and the antagonist, Red. Her performances as both characters were convincing and moving; it's hard to take your eyes off her. Playing her husband, Gabe, is Winston Duke, who provides the funniest lines in the film and adds some much needed comedic relief when things start getting serious. The two children, Zora and Jason, played by Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex respectively, were also really great and were compelling as both their normal selves as well as their evil counterparts. Even the minor supporting roles were excellent.
While the film is scary at times, it often feels more like a thriller than a flat-out horror film. This is why, for me, the comedy stood out as a very strong point in this film. Unlike most horror films, Peele knows when to use comedy to lighten the mood and understands the appropriate situations for characters to take a breather and crack jokes. Again, Winston Duke is the highlight in this section, but each character gets their own moment of humour.
The cinematography was well done for the most part. There were times where the film felt like it was simply shot, and not thought out compositionally and aesthetically, however there were some excellent shots in this film and really great use of colour, especially towards the end of the film. Like I said earlier, the film was scary, but not terrifying like it was marketed. As someone who gets scared easily, this is a positive for me. For die-hard horror fans, this will likely be a negative aspect of the film as it only has a handful of instances of true gross-out horror. The film was very well paced and felt like it flowed naturally, however the film changes slightly in its third act and, in my opinion, makes the third act the weakest. The first act is very effective at setting up the characters and situations. The second act is the most enjoyable to watch as the film descends into pure chaos while the Wilson's fight their respective doubles. The third act, however, presents the final confrontation of Adelaide and Red and, while it is very enjoyable to watch (especially one scene in particular featuring ballet that is very well edited), this is when the film starts to explain its plot. One of my hopes for this film was that it would end with most of the mystery still unanswered, leaving fans to debate about its true nature for years to come. While this film will certainly spark conversations once it ends, the third act begins explaining what is really happening in the film and this is where many of the problems come in. I won't spoil the film here, but certain things feel over-explained and I wish there was more subtlety, whereas other things aren't given enough explanation and I was left confused. Honestly, had the ending been a little more subtle with its explanations and the horror be slightly more scary, this film would've been perfect.
Just like Get Out, the best thing about this film is its writing and directing. Peele is in full control of his craft in this film, and it shows. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation due to its incredible writing (as well as a unique-if predictable-twist), and the directing leaves you feeling like you have been brought into Jordan Peele's nightmare. Everything in the film is so purposeful and thought out, it really feels like Peele's unaltered vision, which is something truly exciting to see.
All in all, Us is a fantastic film from beginning to end, though not without its flaws. I am certainly looking forward to seeing more from Peele, who has now cemented himself as one of the best directors working today.
The cast was absolutely phenomenal. Lupita Nyong'o is the definite stand-out as she plays the protagonist, Adelaide, and the antagonist, Red. Her performances as both characters were convincing and moving; it's hard to take your eyes off her. Playing her husband, Gabe, is Winston Duke, who provides the funniest lines in the film and adds some much needed comedic relief when things start getting serious. The two children, Zora and Jason, played by Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex respectively, were also really great and were compelling as both their normal selves as well as their evil counterparts. Even the minor supporting roles were excellent.
While the film is scary at times, it often feels more like a thriller than a flat-out horror film. This is why, for me, the comedy stood out as a very strong point in this film. Unlike most horror films, Peele knows when to use comedy to lighten the mood and understands the appropriate situations for characters to take a breather and crack jokes. Again, Winston Duke is the highlight in this section, but each character gets their own moment of humour.
The cinematography was well done for the most part. There were times where the film felt like it was simply shot, and not thought out compositionally and aesthetically, however there were some excellent shots in this film and really great use of colour, especially towards the end of the film. Like I said earlier, the film was scary, but not terrifying like it was marketed. As someone who gets scared easily, this is a positive for me. For die-hard horror fans, this will likely be a negative aspect of the film as it only has a handful of instances of true gross-out horror. The film was very well paced and felt like it flowed naturally, however the film changes slightly in its third act and, in my opinion, makes the third act the weakest. The first act is very effective at setting up the characters and situations. The second act is the most enjoyable to watch as the film descends into pure chaos while the Wilson's fight their respective doubles. The third act, however, presents the final confrontation of Adelaide and Red and, while it is very enjoyable to watch (especially one scene in particular featuring ballet that is very well edited), this is when the film starts to explain its plot. One of my hopes for this film was that it would end with most of the mystery still unanswered, leaving fans to debate about its true nature for years to come. While this film will certainly spark conversations once it ends, the third act begins explaining what is really happening in the film and this is where many of the problems come in. I won't spoil the film here, but certain things feel over-explained and I wish there was more subtlety, whereas other things aren't given enough explanation and I was left confused. Honestly, had the ending been a little more subtle with its explanations and the horror be slightly more scary, this film would've been perfect.
Just like Get Out, the best thing about this film is its writing and directing. Peele is in full control of his craft in this film, and it shows. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation due to its incredible writing (as well as a unique-if predictable-twist), and the directing leaves you feeling like you have been brought into Jordan Peele's nightmare. Everything in the film is so purposeful and thought out, it really feels like Peele's unaltered vision, which is something truly exciting to see.
All in all, Us is a fantastic film from beginning to end, though not without its flaws. I am certainly looking forward to seeing more from Peele, who has now cemented himself as one of the best directors working today.