Writer & Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex
Adelaide Wilson can’t shake the feeling that danger is amiss. The return to her childhood vacation home awakens a fear in her she thought had long passed. Her instinct proves correct as a horde of doppelgangers sets their sights on her and her family. The vacation plans grind to a screeching halt as the Wilsons enter a fight for their lives against a mysterious threat bearing an uncanny resemblance to themselves.
Lupita Nyong’o is a familiar face in drama and action having starred in several dramatic roles including last year’s Black Panther. Us is her first foray into the horror/suspense genre and she kills it. As Adelaide, she is simultaneously terrified and ferocious, wielding a fire poker like a master swordsman, she protects her family from a threat she knows all too well. As a child Adelaide endured a traumatic introduction to her doppelganger that left her speechless. Though the complete tale of her trials remains a mystery, the audience is treated to vignettes of her experience via a series of flashbacks. Each flashback is brought on by coincidences triggering fear and uncertainty. In her dual role as Red, she is incredibly creepy. Though physically similar, each of the same faced strangers also known as the “tethered” has their own distinctive personalities. By comparison, the tethered are distorted versions of their counterparts. Red is as fearsome as Adelaide and just as determined to stake her claim to Adelaide’s storybook life. Along with her manic expression, a nightmare-inducing voice and speech impediment turns the usually graceful Nyong’o into a warped caricature. This role showcases Nyongo’s incredible range, as the actress teeters between normal and maniacal successfully.
Fellow Black Panther alum Winston Duke is Adelaide’s dopey husband Gabe. This is Duke’s first starring role in a feature film. Gabe gives us Clark Griswold vibes spewing bad dad jokes and awkwardly trying to strike fear into the familiar looking strangers. Though big and strong he proves no match for his diminutive wife, eventually conceding control to her when things go awry. Similarly, his counterpart Abraham isn’t much more than a guard dog silently carrying out the commands of Red. The children of the family Zora and Jason, played by Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex respectively, are quick-witted and jovial with feral counterparts. The young actors give stellar performances that rival that of seasoned veterans. Evan Alex stands out as his comedic timing and expressive eyes demonstrate maturity beyond his years. The film also introduces Madison Curry, taking on her first role as young Adelaide/Red. Though the part requires very little dialogue, her ability to toggle between innocent and menacing is incredible. At one point in the film, she even offers a sly mischievous grin that is at once endearing and terrifying,
Us is Director Jordan Peele’s 2nd full-length film. Though known originally for his comedic efforts, Peele is quickly becoming a modern master of suspense and horror. Comparisons to Hitchcock and Craven are well deserved as the Academy Award Winner continues to astound audiences with his imaginative storytelling. For this film, Peele cranks up the suspense and provides a macabre tale of mystery. Us is the type of film movie buffs will watch repeatedly each time searching for messages and Easter eggs hoping to unmask clues to the film’s meaning and references to possible sequels. While we won’t ruin the suspense by revealing the ending, we can say with certainty that Peele leaves plenty of unanswered questions as the surviving cast members ride off into the sunrise, hinting at the possibility of another chilling chapter. Some will see this as an allegory depicting the division of class and a cautionary warning about the uneven distribution of wealth. Others will liken the appearance of the “tethered” as the meek, finally staking a claim to the Earth they were promised. As avid movie goers, we simply saw a good movie that lived up to the hype and was well worth the wait. Expect horror and lots of suspenceful moments.
Us will be released by Universal Pictures on Friday, March 22, 2019.