Us Review

Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast Headliners: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Tim Heidecker, Elizabeth Moss, x2
Original Release Date: March 22nd, 2019
Seen: April 2019

  One would most likely not have predicted that Jordan Peele of sketch comedy fame would one day be a modern horror master of some renown. Yet after the surprise mix of terror and comedy that was 2017's Get Out he's back again with another project in Us. It has all the strong elements of a quality sophomore improvement by going even further into the terror and cinematic craft while perhaps losing a bit on the way. It definitely keeps one on their seat while also making them question this messed up situation.
Semi-frequent flashbacks give us the initial creepy look at the situation. A young Adelaide(a kid in Maddison Curry) and her parents(bit parts for a father and mother in Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Anna Diop respectively) go to a carnival where she finds an ominous hallway and visions of some kind of a menacing doppelganger. This experience haunts Adelaide giving her PTSD and she refuses to talk which has some effective drama elements at play. This mystery ties in a very key way to the film overall.
Years later an adult Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) goes on a summer vacation to a coastal lake house with her family including husband Gabe(Winston Duke), daughter Zora(Shahadi Wright Joseph), and Jason(Evan Alex). They also meet their friends in the Tylers consisting of husband Josh(Tim Heidecker), wife Kitty(Elisabeth Moss), and their twin daughters Becca(Cali Sheldon) and Lindsey(Noelle Sheldon). They also find a terrifying set of strangers in the Tethered who seem to be evil copies of themselves.
What's interesting, and effective, about the film is how much it manages to accomplish with so relative little... just like Get Out did and perhaps one could argue the way director Jordan Peele did his past work before that. The list of characters is not much aside this but yet one gets to know them all well. This is aided by some great performances but one rises above others.
Nyongo's Adelaide is amazing. That's also because it's also , like everyone's, a dual role in the mysterious “Red” who leads the Tethered copy family. Each has their own takes and they contrast so much. As Adelaide she continues to be haunted by visions and an unsettled mood into adulthood. It's a bit of a quiet awkward role but it makes sense in its subtle way. Eventually she gets some great action beats in as well. Contrasting, as Red, she's a villain for the ages. Perhaps most effective of all the scissors users in the film (it'll make some sense although much is only hinted at which is frustrating in lieu of full explanations) she also is the most chilling. With a demonic presence and a raspy accent she is nigh-unrecognizable from her usual work. The face-off and or torture between them is some impressive mashing up as well as dramatic horror ruckus.
This same dual role astounding nature is present in the other cast although to various degrees with none quite having that same equal impact to the viewer. Everyone has their moments with perhaps ending up as a bit shallow this time around. Duke's Gabe is a goofy big softie of a joking dad who just wants to take the old boat out for a spin and enjoy some beach relaxing which makes him the film's only true comic relief . This means it's very much a film that's more dark horror than horror comedy although there's some occasional chuckles as a whole. The children don't amount to much characterization on the noble side with Wright Joseph's Zora amounting to just about “the reluctant track running athletic daughter” and Alex's Jason being “the little boy who likes to wear a Chewbacca mask”. They do have their moments of individual terror and or heroism however. Much less can be said for the Tyler twins for notability. In that same vein Heidecker's Josh is as generic as they can be but has his quips and a true fan will know this role is a bit perfectly hammy for them. Moss's Kitty makes for a bit of a humorous suburbanite contrast a well.   Now Red isn't the only member of the Tethered family with the other characters best being seen firsthand but if an actor is decent as a hero imagine that their monster version is also quite different and decent too.
It's a horror movie but not one of any true jump scares. That's what makes any good horror stand apart...when it's something with more nuance and depth such as the dramatic elements here. It can be incredibly pulse pounding and bloody to be sure. Peele's direction helps with his dark ambiance and thrill with some great fast and tracking cinematography and set design especially as the depths of a metaphorical hell are gone into (Although with some spot momentary cheese).  Previous composer Michael Abels brings some great orchestrated pieces as well with choirs and who hasn't been impressed by the spooky use of rap and pop songs like “Got Five On It”.
It's thrilling, intense, and thought provoking yet also it's kind of... dumbly illogical if one thinks too hard. There's some narrative elements and backstory that don't make much sense at all. Perhaps Peele intended this (remember, the comedian) but it's illogic presented effectively as logical fact. One must remember to turn their brain off a bit and just get scared and it does that job well. It's best at thrilling in an intense situation than it is at bringing up anything too social commentating and one may wish for just a bit more like that.
For what it is on its own though and aside that fact it's a great time. It's a well crafted, well acted, high intensity horror / thriller with a very unique premise. Fans of Get Out would enjoy but also of any classic “murder house” kind of work. One may be hoping their doppelganger isn't around there and that's the kind of great thing.. to make one wonder just a bit and look both way amidst its thrill ride. 8.5 out of 10