Us - Review
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Having set himself the seemingly impossible task of delivering a follow-up to the major critical and commercial success Get Out, Peele delves back into the horror genre and wields outlandish fictional narratives to reflect the harsh truths of our own shortcomings.
Alongside her husband and two children, Adelaide Wilson (Nyong'o) returns to the holiday home where she would spend her summers as a child and experienced a traumatic event that haunts her into adulthood. Adelaide's concerns grow as strange coincidences begin to occur and her worst suspicions are soon confirmed when their house is invaded by four strangers with identical appearances to the Wilsons, leading the family to a terrifying fight for survival.
Peele's sophomore effort operates in the same vein as his outstanding, Academy Award winning directorial debut Get Out (2017) by delivering a hugely entertaining, comedic and thrilling film that audiences relish but layering it with prevalent themes that provoke thought and subsequent discussion once the credits roll. Whilst Get Out was rich with messages about race relations in America, Us is a piece focused on our outward fear of the 'other' and perceived outsiders - even though, when all is said and done, we are our own worst enemies and the most horrifying monster that we could possibly face.
However, these proposed metaphors aren't told as sophisticatedly as they were in Get Out. Upon the Wilson's dopplegangers terrifying arrival, Red (the leader of the uprising known as the 'Tethered' and the only one capable of speech) explains their existence and the purpose of their murderous crusade. The exposition is near-poetic but it poses several logistical questions that disallow us to become fully absorbed in the scenario that Peele has presented us with.
Having made a leading man and Hollywood commodity out of Daniel Kaluuya, Peele gives Lupita Nyong'o the first leading role of her career, despite her Academy Award win for her turn in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave back in 2012. Over the past few years Nyong'o has been relegated to motion-capture and voice acting roles in films such as Star Wars and The Jungle Book, but Peele has more than compensated for the paucity in Nyong'o's opportunities by gifting her with two very distinctive characters to relish.
As Adelaide Wilson, the mother of two who struggles with an undisclosed childhood trauma, N'yongo skilfully captures her understandable anxieties with her overwhelming and animalistic desire to protect her family when the Tethered strike. However, her transformation as Red is a remarkable triumph; adopting a unique physicality and haunting, rasped vocal, Nyong'o's interpretation of Peele's creation is truly unforgettable and will cement itself among the iconic horror film performances.
Exquisitely crafted in every technical aspect and superbly acted, Us may not make the first impression that Get Out did or deliver on its insurmountable expectation, but there's no denying that its deeply thoughtful themes will enrich audiences upon multiple viewings - even if the initial impact leaves you underwhelmed.
EB
Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker
Having set himself the seemingly impossible task of delivering a follow-up to the major critical and commercial success Get Out, Peele delves back into the horror genre and wields outlandish fictional narratives to reflect the harsh truths of our own shortcomings.
Alongside her husband and two children, Adelaide Wilson (Nyong'o) returns to the holiday home where she would spend her summers as a child and experienced a traumatic event that haunts her into adulthood. Adelaide's concerns grow as strange coincidences begin to occur and her worst suspicions are soon confirmed when their house is invaded by four strangers with identical appearances to the Wilsons, leading the family to a terrifying fight for survival.
Peele's sophomore effort operates in the same vein as his outstanding, Academy Award winning directorial debut Get Out (2017) by delivering a hugely entertaining, comedic and thrilling film that audiences relish but layering it with prevalent themes that provoke thought and subsequent discussion once the credits roll. Whilst Get Out was rich with messages about race relations in America, Us is a piece focused on our outward fear of the 'other' and perceived outsiders - even though, when all is said and done, we are our own worst enemies and the most horrifying monster that we could possibly face.
However, these proposed metaphors aren't told as sophisticatedly as they were in Get Out. Upon the Wilson's dopplegangers terrifying arrival, Red (the leader of the uprising known as the 'Tethered' and the only one capable of speech) explains their existence and the purpose of their murderous crusade. The exposition is near-poetic but it poses several logistical questions that disallow us to become fully absorbed in the scenario that Peele has presented us with.
Having made a leading man and Hollywood commodity out of Daniel Kaluuya, Peele gives Lupita Nyong'o the first leading role of her career, despite her Academy Award win for her turn in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave back in 2012. Over the past few years Nyong'o has been relegated to motion-capture and voice acting roles in films such as Star Wars and The Jungle Book, but Peele has more than compensated for the paucity in Nyong'o's opportunities by gifting her with two very distinctive characters to relish.
As Adelaide Wilson, the mother of two who struggles with an undisclosed childhood trauma, N'yongo skilfully captures her understandable anxieties with her overwhelming and animalistic desire to protect her family when the Tethered strike. However, her transformation as Red is a remarkable triumph; adopting a unique physicality and haunting, rasped vocal, Nyong'o's interpretation of Peele's creation is truly unforgettable and will cement itself among the iconic horror film performances.
Exquisitely crafted in every technical aspect and superbly acted, Us may not make the first impression that Get Out did or deliver on its insurmountable expectation, but there's no denying that its deeply thoughtful themes will enrich audiences upon multiple viewings - even if the initial impact leaves you underwhelmed.
EB
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