Review of Us (2019) by Kirkender — 24 Mar 2019

Us is not your typical horror movie. Following in the footsteps of Get Out, Us sets up a world that is enthralling to jump into, and terrifying to stay inside. Do you remember having nightmares as a kid, where nothing made sense? Where you walked into school and everyone was screaming at you and ripping their faces off? Nightmares where your mother turned into a picnic basket full of treats you couldn’t eat and flew away? Just me? Us, is the best kind of nightmare.

You aren’t sure it’s a nightmare for a long time, then it kicks in so hard and so creepy that you are pretty damned sure the nightmare has entered into reality and you have to admit that this is now your life.

The performances are superb. Lupita Nyong’o channels the rage of Jack Torrance and the determination of Ellen Ripley, while molding a phenomenally chilling performance as her two selves. Winston Duke fuels the humor that is essential to horror, balancing the walk of terror with quintessential dumb Dadness that is a loveable defender absolutely needed to make the ride as fun as it is scary.

Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex are the children, and credit to their performances and the writing, because they are the most realistic horror kids in film history. Children and women in typical (bad) horror movies are always screaming and crying, and it’s such crap.

We all know, the dad would be screaming and crying. Men just don’t have the mental training to handle intense situations. Children and women are ignored, insulted, bullied and condescended too all day, everyday, and this is why the US kids are the best.

They take it all in stride, react appropriately and do what they need to survive. All the awards. Us has layers and layers of symbolism in the script, visuals, sound and editing. It’s a masterclass of film.

Walk in knowing nothing and you leave with so much running around your head. Walk in thinking you know the plot and it twists and turns in your belly making you question your beliefs. Have you watched a thousand horror movies? Us adds on them.

Never seen one horror? Us walks you through and tears you apart. So much credit to Jordan Peele for crafting an impossible film that caters to film buffs and hollywood enthusiasts. Be sure to see it with people, and remember, its totally okay to talk during a horror movie.

Its how people get through it all. Seriously, don’t shush people in theaters. Get over yourself.