Review of Get Out (2017) by Matt%20 F — 29 Apr 2017

Get Out may not be a masterpiece, as some people claim it is, but you'd be hard pressed to find a movie that's so exciting and fun while simultaneously communicating a problem in modern society. In short, it is without a doubt one of the best films to come out so far this year, especially when compared to its terrible January/February competition, but it is far from a perfect film.

The strongest element of the film is the creative and innovative script, by a relatively large margin. Peele demonstrates his trademark creativity with the extremely clever and somewhat subtle signs which are used to gradually build the tension, while simultaneously delivering useful exposition. In doing this, Peele ensures that the movie does not overstay its welcome, while still telling a complete, satisfying, and intriguing story. Two other major strengths that Get Out has are the masterful acting and extraordinary pacing. Lead actor Daniel Kaluuya delivers an incredibly authentic performance as the protagonist, Chris. Kaluuya manages to deliver a mind blowing performance filled with authenticity, from his convincing line delivery to his eerily realistic body languages. Rose (Allison Williams), Rod (LiRel Howlery), and the rest of the supporting cast all deliver extremely solid performances to complement Kaluuya, though none quite compare to his brilliant performance. Peele does a truly wonderful job of pacing the film, as he is able to keep the film suspenseful and interesting for the first act, increase the intensity in the second act, and finish strong with an impactful ending that audiences will not soon forget. At no point does the film feel rushed or does it drag on, it is as close to a perfect balance as one can get.

This movie only had a couple of major shortcomings, though they ultimately did not do much to hinder my enjoyment of the film. A few times throughout the film, there are manufactured jump-scares, or jump-scares that would not occur in the movie's universe. For example, in one scene, a character is faintly seen lurking in the background, and when the character reveals herself, Peele inserts a slam, which is cheap and lazy way to scare the audience. Also the plot is stretched a bit thin for this 1 hour and 44 minute film. At no point does it drag, but there is only so much you can do with a plot like this.

Get Out is one of the most dynamic films of 2017 thus far, working very well on nearly every level, all the while seamlessly working in valuable social commentary without it seeming forced or ham-fisted. Jordan Peele certainly exceeds all expectations in his directorial debut, so if you want to see the best horror/comedy/thrillers in months, definitely check this one out.