This movie was great! Jordan Peele really outdid himself here. Us is a psychological thriller packed with interesting imagery and symbolism, setting a framework upon the theme of identity, streamlined with driving tension, and tempered with a soundtrack that bounces between ironic and eerie. In my honest opinion, an instant classic.
The pace is set in the first scene, which depicts a family at a boardwalk in 1986. The little girl wanders off to make a chilling discovery in the form of a girl identical to herself in a house of mirrors… Chilling because the girl is NOT mirroring her. Suspenseful music follows her into the dark funhouse, setting the audience on edge. Bam! Cut to the present day, with a modern family arriving at their summer home. Things are good with these people. They are a loving family with above average communication skills. Things get weird the next day at the boardwalk/beach, and then all hell breaks loose in a feast of shrieks and gore that night. I feel like I've told too much already, which is probably far less than the trailer and summary blurb did.
I would like to again recognize Jordan Peele. The plot exposition was well-timed and masterfully executed. The characters were well rounded, and the heroes were formidable, yet not invincible. Their strengths were relayed to us in clever dialogue that made us feel equally clever for putting the dots together in our minds. Now, I'm sure that he had a team to help with all of that, but his name is foremost in the credits as he wrote, directed, and produced the movie.
I recommend this movie. It had me on the edge of my seat and guessing until the end. In many ways I was reminded of The Strangers, but I found that I preferred Us. The Strangers amazed me through the masterful use of negative space in the soundtrack, which Us did not do. However, it had a superior soundtrack that did not give away any of the jump scares, which is a problem in many horror movies. I especially loved the final twist, despite having already guessed at it. Phenomenal.
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