Us- Movie Review (No spoilers)

By Michael Momper

It is so good to be back reviewing a movie! The beginning of 2019 has been largely devoid of exciting blockbusters and even largely lacking in widely-released critical successes. However, much of the movie-loving community was buzzing with excitement prior to the release of Jordan Peele's sophomore directorial effort, Us. He is fresh off the enormously successful and critically acclaimed debut film, Get Out, which was released in 2017. With this release and word of his forthcoming reboot of The Twilight Zone, he has established a very solid reputation for thought-provoking and thrilling horror. With Us, we see his affinity for the classic slasher films of the 1980s, but also are treated to some excellent performances and remarkably captivating atmosphere.

The movie follows a family that is on vacation in Santa Cruz, California, a place where the mother/main protagonist experienced a harrowing and terrifying sight when she was a young girl. She is extremely reticent about divulging the details of her encounter, and as the audience we are only given small glimpses of what she saw for much of the movie. The suspense builds with unsettling power as we soon find that a family intent on invading their home is closing in on them, and that all of the mother's deepest suspicions about the climax of her encounter years ago are coming true. With a breakneck pace and very involving cinematography, the audience is brought gleefully into the madness and whisked into a nightmare that is at once twisted but also thoughtful and exhilarating.

Jordan Peele wears his influences proudly on his sleeve in this film. There are plenty of respectful nods to movies like Jaws, Friday the 13th, and even Dawn of the Dead. Like many slashers, there are plenty of inventive kills, moments of terror, and room for cheering while one of the protagonists vanquishes an enemy in a haze of blood and brutal carnage. The pace in Us is far better than most slashers, as the story is peppered with effective humor and a crackling, vivacious speed. The energy Jordan creates is so palpable. It's amazing when a slasher movie can at once be so fun but also so intelligently written. Be prepared for some excellent twists and turns.

As I mentioned earlier, the acting is a huge asset to this film and puts it leagues above most horror movies these days. Lupita Nyong'o, the mother and protagonist, is absolutely exceptional, especially in her role as the evil counterpart/clone/antagonist who serves to organize the enemy family. Winston Duke plays the father and brings great comic relief as well as a very likable presence. It's essential in slasher films to have some characters that are easy to root for, and these characters nail it. Far too many slashers run wild with the Friday the 13th formula, making characters do something that the crowd is supposed to see as reprehensible and then enticing the crowd into rooting for their death. It's a stale formula and one that Jordan wisely avoids.

This was simply a great time at the cinema. Us is a movie that made me think, made me laugh, and made me silent in suspense. It was a welcome and involving experience, a perfect contrast to the summer blockbusters to come, as it employed almost no quick-edits or jump-cuts or head-spinning CGI, and slowly propelled the audience into a world of horror. I look forward to Jordan Peele's version of The Twilight Zone and am excited to see any future examples of his vivid imagination displayed on the silver screen.

Rating: 90/100