Us

Jordan Peele is undoubtedly a huge talent, which he has shown not only in his comedy sketches, but also with his hit Get Out, and high hopes were pinned on Us, based on the amazing trailer and positive reactions from critics. In the end feelings are slightly mixed, the film will definitely once again divide audiences into two camps, similar to Mother or Hereditary. Mainstream viewers and teens can stay home, this is a much more challenging spectacle than it first appears and those expecting a classic home invasion, slasher or horror will be sorely disappointed. The biggest trump cards are definitely the actors, with Lupita Nyong'o giving an extraordinary double performance, the superb craftsmanship, the details, the camera shots, the visuals and the intense music (“I Got 5 on It” is played three times and is quite goosebump-inducing during the final scene), and the very disarming and effective twists and turns, which you may not understand right away, but the creativity cannot be denied. Us also works in terms of horror. The home invasion is filmed in a decently atmospheric manner and the slasher rampage is quite brutal, though unfortunately, there is no explicit gore. In places the film is underpinned by comedy interludes, which work for the most part. It's slightly disappointing that the film isn't downright creepy and there's a distinct lack of a memorable scene to talk about in the future. Many may also be bothered by the fact that some issues aren't put squarely on the table, and whether the whole thing even makes sense is also debatable. I will definitely give this a re-watch and even though I was expecting grittier and more dense stuff, I still have to admit that there hasn't been a horror film this original and creative in years. 80%. (03/22/2019)

It goes by quickly without getting boring, Peele delivers a very original concept that plays with our expectations, but unfortunately, this incomprehensible genre hodgepodge can’t never fully satisfy its ambitions of social comedy-horror. Get Out was solidly built on paranoia and the humour worked like an almost welcome relief, Us is packed with ideas, jokes and wannabe shocking twists, but it doesn’t give the viewer a chance to comfortably get into the story and enjoy the concept or feel scared. And no, I don’t think the experience can improve with a rewatch. 60% (04/03/2019)

I'm almost beginning to think that Jordan Peele chooses the actors for the lead roles for their eyes, but it's also for their acting mastery. Lupita Nyong'o was perfect for the lead role, both for her better version and the darker one, which is truly terrifying. Jordan Peele then shows that he can also build scenes brilliantly to make them scary simply through their visuals. He is truly a horror talent. (06/21/2019)

I can´t shake the feeling that Peele originally intended it to be a pilot episode of Sterling's cult (and crucial for “peripheral" genres) The Twilight Zone, which will be soon reincarnated. And it would have made a fantastic pilot which would have proven that Peele can pay tributes to the models/originals, keep the spirit and ideas of the original and still make the movie up to date and specific in his unique manner. But it should have been a pilot with a 60-minute footage, not a two-hour movie. Even though Peele is such a good director and has really actors at hand, the essence is so high-quality (it works both as a relaxed genre movie and as a satire) and on top of that, he can take advantage of brilliant Abels and he is not afraid to use him properly, so you won´t be become bored of it, not for a moment. In fact, you will feel quite the opposite. However, I cannot get rid of the feeling that it is an “excellent short story but slightly worse feature film". (03/26/2019)

For however much Jordan Peele is following the overrated Get Out with a film that divides the audience and for which I could easily understand any choice on the rating scale, this is a surprise that caught me quite unprepared. And that I more than anyone else would be the one praising this film the most? I would never believe it. But Us is a true example of a combination of nerve-wracking situations, goosebump-inducing moments, and humor that doesn't play it safe and instead complements the mood excellently, in most cases, in a completely unforced way. The social issues are present this time are just right, and also subtle, so you need to (voluntarily?) dig into them in your own way and not get slapped in the face with them every few minutes, as was the case with Get Out. The first reveal pleasantly surprised me in how it doesn't hold back in terms of genre, the second, which some found excessive and degrading, actually spun the ideological whirlwind at double speed for me. I might even leave the fifth star for a hypothetical second viewing due to the occasional brutality and overall despair. Although I felt very claustrophobic almost the entire two hours while watching, the battle in the background with the pas de deux composition is an unprecedented example of harmony between music and image that I will want to see again. A sculpted toy that can't be faulted. (03/27/2019)