There is no better feeling than going on vacation. No matter where you're going, just getting out of town for a while is almost always good. Almost.
In Us, writer/director Jordan Peele shows us that no matter how far we go, we can never escape ourselves. Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o, Black Panther), her husband Gabe and their children Zora and Jason arrive at their summer home in Santa Cruz, California to enjoy some sun, sand and maybe some boating. Adelaide is anxious about returning to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk after a traumatic childhood experience in the summer of 1986 that rendered her mute, unable to tell her parents exactly what she saw. She seems otherwise stable until the night after they arrive and she tells Gabe what happened all those years ago. After being separated from her parents at the Boardwalk, young Adelaide walked into a hall of mirrors, where she seemed to see herself. Not just a reflection, but another, darker version of herself. Fearing that returning to Santa Cruz may cause this "other" Adelaide to find her, she begs Gabe to cut their vacation short. Before they can pack a bag, however, the family is visited by doppelgangers of themselves, seemingly led by the "other" Adelaide, known henceforth as Red. Red explains that the Wilson family and her own are "tethered" together, with she and her family forced to live out a mirror image of the Wilson's lives day in and day out. But now, they want to make a life of their own, without being attached to anyone else. What happens next is a story of survival, brutality and the Wilson family finding out what they're made of, whether they want to or not.
In Us, writer/director Jordan Peele shows us that no matter how far we go, we can never escape ourselves. Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong'o, Black Panther), her husband Gabe and their children Zora and Jason arrive at their summer home in Santa Cruz, California to enjoy some sun, sand and maybe some boating. Adelaide is anxious about returning to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk after a traumatic childhood experience in the summer of 1986 that rendered her mute, unable to tell her parents exactly what she saw. She seems otherwise stable until the night after they arrive and she tells Gabe what happened all those years ago. After being separated from her parents at the Boardwalk, young Adelaide walked into a hall of mirrors, where she seemed to see herself. Not just a reflection, but another, darker version of herself. Fearing that returning to Santa Cruz may cause this "other" Adelaide to find her, she begs Gabe to cut their vacation short. Before they can pack a bag, however, the family is visited by doppelgangers of themselves, seemingly led by the "other" Adelaide, known henceforth as Red. Red explains that the Wilson family and her own are "tethered" together, with she and her family forced to live out a mirror image of the Wilson's lives day in and day out. But now, they want to make a life of their own, without being attached to anyone else. What happens next is a story of survival, brutality and the Wilson family finding out what they're made of, whether they want to or not.
After the giant success of Get Out, Academy Award Winner Jordan Peele appears to have another huge hit on his hands. Where Get Out reached out to the world with allegories of fear from the African-American community based on generational experiences, Us looks at class warfare in an ultimate tale of the haves vs the have-nots. Peele delivers a tightly paced script that doesn't lag despite giving you moments to catch your breath. While other writers would find it incredibly easy to just shoehorn in a scene or two to give the viewer a break from the tension, Us is still pumping out exposition and a story while shedding a glimmer of light in an otherwise dark situation. Although I found the "twist" ending fairly predictable, I still walked out of the theater feeling satisfied. Us is the kind of movie that will only benefit from repeat viewings, giving moviegoers a fresh experience every time.
Music plays a much larger part in Peele's sophomore effort. Composer Michael Abels returns as well to score Us, delivering a tense and honestly upsetting score full of orchestral pieces as sharp as the scissors used by Red and choral chants reminiscent of The Omen. Incidental music plays a heavy role as well. There is the obvious "I've Got 5 On It" as heard in the film's trailer, but other hip-hop songs as well, including NWA's "Fuck the Police" in a somewhat ironic moment.
While I would love to gush on and on about the film and its various layers, the Easter eggs and my own fan theories, I would not be able to do so without unleashing major spoilers. I would highly recommend seeing this one in theaters if possible at the time you're reading this review. It is definitely one that benefits from a theatrical experience.
Music plays a much larger part in Peele's sophomore effort. Composer Michael Abels returns as well to score Us, delivering a tense and honestly upsetting score full of orchestral pieces as sharp as the scissors used by Red and choral chants reminiscent of The Omen. Incidental music plays a heavy role as well. There is the obvious "I've Got 5 On It" as heard in the film's trailer, but other hip-hop songs as well, including NWA's "Fuck the Police" in a somewhat ironic moment.
While I would love to gush on and on about the film and its various layers, the Easter eggs and my own fan theories, I would not be able to do so without unleashing major spoilers. I would highly recommend seeing this one in theaters if possible at the time you're reading this review. It is definitely one that benefits from a theatrical experience.
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