Us Movie Review: Weird, but highly Effective

Us Movie poster

Us
A; Horror, Thriller
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss
Rating:

Jordon Peele's 'Us' is an intriguing horror/Slasher/thriller that powers itself on suggestion. A family appears to be under threat and every sequence puts up a varied explanation for it rising. Peele's film(directed, wrote and produced) is, therefore, more likely to get more rewarding on multiple viewings. 'Us' has a form that appears unpretentious but is actually very disingenuous.

The film has several biblical references which when connected with what happens from time to time, lends brilliance to the plot. The film begins back in 1986 with a young girl and her parents wandering through the Santa Cruz boardwalk at night. The father is intent on winning her a prize while the Mom takes off for a loo break, leaving the little girl to her own devices. The girl, catches something interesting a short distance away and walks off. She walks into a hall of mirrors and gets scared out of her wits. Thereafter the movie shifts to the present where the Wilson family is shown to be heading towards their holiday home. The film cuts back and forth into the past and present setting up a conflict-raising set of images and the result is a shocking.

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Adelaide Wilson (Lupita ) haunted by that traumatic experience from the past, grows increasingly concerned that something bad is going to happen to her family. Her worst fears become real when four strangers suddenly appear in front of her house, forcing the family to fight for their lives.
The film references the Bible and select horror films for its chills. The Jeremiah 11:11 Bible verse "Therefore this is what the Lord says: 'I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.'" becomes a precursor to pivotal moments in the plot, an analogy to heaven and hell does deep-seated damage while Kubrick's 'The Shining' appears to be its greatest inspiration. The cinematography by Mike Gioulakis is a rich progression of shots that eulogise on Peele's most momentous cinema experiences. The angles, lighting and structure illuminate a craft that is vivid and immersive. Nicholas Monsour's nifty edits and Micheal Abels' textured compositions add depth to this haunting. And of course, this film wouldn't be so impressive if not for the main lead cast who do so well that we see a lot more happening here, than first meets the eye. Lupita Nyong'o is simply stunning. She conveys such a rich variety of emotions so emphatically that you just reel from the impact. Peele's film is a metaphor for the disaster we earthlings have brought on ourselves. He hints at race relations, discrimination, inequality and environment degradation and turns the blame squarely on the enemy- i.e. 'Us.'

Also read: Jordon Peele: Don't see myself casting white dudes as leads

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