As a first film, this movie would have surely been hailed for its promise. Best not to think about it too hard, to not ruin a good thing, to demand that Us be anything more than sublimely entertaining and wonderfully thoughtful, endlessly disturbing genre filmmaking. Taken by itself, it’s thought-provoking enough to pass muster. Her eyes find an attraction just off the main pier, and she walks into what looks like an abandoned hall of mirrors, discovering something deeply terrifying—her doppelgänger. Both simplistic and overcomplicated, Us depends on some of horror’s most hackneyed cliches and gaps in logic — by now, shouldn’t all movie characters know never to go back into the house and to always stay together? Like “The Shining,” there are a number of different ways to interpret Jordan Peele’s excellent new horror movie, “Us.” Every image seems to be a clue for what’s about to happen or a stand-in for something outside the main story of a family in danger. To play her character’s opposite, Nyong’o adopts a graceful, confident movement for her doppelgänger, sliding into the family’s home with scissors at the ready. His choice of shots is remarkable, from the mirror house to an institutional hallway chase that goes on forever, to static shots of possible entry points that double down on the suspense. The power winks off, and she finds herself standing next to what looks like her own reflection ... except that it's not a reflection. This is an unforgettable dance with the devil. Us is the work of a gifted director who seems to be compensating for having less to say by overstating how he says it. He overthinks himself into a corner, and we’re stuck there with him. Us is more intuitive than explicatory, more visceral than diagrammatic; it’s horrific in a way that hangs onto your gut when it’s all over. The doppelgänger looks wide-eyed and maliciously curious as if she’s looking for new ways to terrorize this family. A stunning sophomore effort from Jordan Peele. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. See our. "Bulls--tty" spoken by a young boy. This delightfully deranged home invasion-family horror film works because Peele not only knows how to tell his story, he assembled an incredible cast to play two roles. While this film isn't likely to have the same cultural impact, it's still quite good. Us proves, if nothing else, that Peele has become a blockbuster visionary, fully in control of his craft. It's like a carnival ride of crazy ideas -- it's startling and also actually sometimes funny. The performances are uniformly fantastic, but I was most impressed by Wright Joseph and Nyong’o, both delivering distinct and completely unique work. As a sleekly-directed, crowd-pleasing horror film, it’s efficient, terrifyingly thrilling and a lot of fun. The US Review of Books connects authors with professional book reviewers and places their book reviews in front of subscribers to our free monthly newsletter of fiction book reviews and nonfiction book reviews. Peele’s film, which he directed, wrote and produced, will likely reward audiences on multiple viewings, each visit revealing a new secret, showing you something you missed before in a new light. Think “Funny Games” collided with Cronenbergian body horror and Hitchockian suspense, and you’re maybe halfway there. Us is more expansive and messier, a Rorschach blot of a movie, riffing on primal fears and a raft of ’80s references. Michael Abels, who also composed the score for “Get Out,” and the ominous notes from the sound design team lay the groundwork for nerve-wracking sequences. © 2020 METACRITIC, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Your privacy is important to us. Very scary (jump scares, etc. Clearly the work of an ambitious writer/director who can see himself inheriting the mantle of Rod Serling ... it offers twists and ironies and false endings galore — along with more laughs than the comedian-turned-auteur dared to include in his debut film. Nyong’o gives a master class in acting in dual roles and is almost unrecognizable as her doppelgänger persona. Us is an impressive and astonishingly hair-triggered sophomore feature squarely positioned to decimate genre audiences. Working with cinematographer Mike Gioulakis, editor Nicholas Monsour, and composer Michael Abels, Peele has once again constructed a movie experience that functions first and foremost on the level of sheer terror. The other two see evidence that the 1980 film indirectly references either the genocide of Native Americans or the Holocaust. Parents need to know that Us -- a shocking, bonkers, often funny horror movie about doppelgangers starring Lupita Nyong'o-- is writer/director Jordan Peele's follow-up to his enormously popular Get Out.While this film isn't likely to have the same cultural impact, it's still quite good. If Nyong’o doesn’t get some professional recognition for her performances here, I will be very disappointed. Is it a pointed cultural take or just a gleeful scare-fest? He also understands the use of music and sound, merging back and forth between a chilling, chanting orchestral score and pop songs, each adjusted at just the right volume or tone. ", Parents and caregivers: Set limits for violence and more with Plus. She radiates a force-field of pure defiance. No doubt the movie will give audiences plenty to mull over long after the credits. — as well as a few windy speeches explaining why bizarre things keep happening.