Us
Director : Jordan Peele
Since Peele’s stunning directorial debut with 2017’s ‘Get Out’, his name has become almost synonymous with modern horror. A relatively new voice, Peele has explored the genre in a way that feels fresh whilst very much built on classic foundations, showing his love for the films and directors that have inspired his craft.
I wasn’t too familiar with Jordan Peele prior to Get Out, but with the bar set so high with his directorial debut I was eager to see what was next.
Peele’s second feature ‘Us’ was released in 2019. With an approval rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems I may be somewhat in the minority here but there was just something about Us I didn’t love as much as I had hoped I would. I often find that when I anticipate a film almost too eagerly, I end up critical and it rarely meets expectations. I definitely enjoyed ‘Us’ a lot more a second and third time around, but there are still niggles that detract from the film overall.
The casting choices are undoubtably excellent – with Lupita Nyong’o absolutely on fire in the dual roles of Adelaide and Red. It’s the female characters that really stand out for me in this film. Not only is Nyong’o an impressively strong female lead, Elisabeth Moss is bloody fantastic as the vapid, narcissistic Kitty – and the contrast between her Tethered counterpart really showcased her skill as an actress. Despite the absence of dialogue when portraying the Tethered role, Moss’s mannerisms and embodiment of the role gave me goosebumps and she manages to come across as really unnerving. Moss seems able to completely transform between the characters with only the smallest of adjustments to posture and expression, and her Tethered counterpart in particular seems to say so much without ever speaking a word.
Whilst the true nature of what’s going on remains unclear for the majority of the film, there are a number of hints along the way, subtle moments that you may miss on an initial viewing but take on new meaning after the reveal. Delicate clues are left for the viewer; the frisbee landing and aligning perfectly with the patterned blanket, the close up of the spider crawling alongside its toy counterpart and perhaps most interestingly – the scene where Addy snaps her fingers along to the rhythm of the music, a little off beat – just not quite in sync.
Lupita Nyong’o delivers a wide range of emotion so perfectly, and as Adelaide’s fear intensifies her voice begins to shake and crack in a manner we later realise is eerily similar to the voice of Red.
Visually, ‘Us’ is very impressive – with little details evoking a retro vibe that pays homage to the 80s and vintage horror. The red jumpsuit of the tethered and contrasting gold scissors create a memorable image, though it did leave me with a number of questions that never quite seem to be resolved (Why the scissors? Where did they all get them?).
Overall I think that is my main criticism of the film. Whilst the performances were incredible and every detail looked great, it felt as though the storyline was a little bit messy and things weren’t quite tied up as neatly by the conclusion as I had hoped. It’s not something I usually mind in a film as I quite enjoy a bit of ambiguity, but something about it just didn’t sit right in ‘Us’.
The ‘white rabbit’ is imagery used repeatedly in the film – with obvious connotations to lab testing and medical experimentation but also seems to allude to the characters being led down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. It’s an interesting concept, but it feels as though the film never really settles on its meaning.
The explanation and reveal felt a little lacklustre to me, leaving me feeling the film felt somewhat unfinished. Despite that, I did enjoy it and there is a lot to love about it, with some real attention to detail that result in some really memorable moments. Some of the scenes in the latter end of the film play out like a carefully choreographed dance, the characters dancing in synchronicity with their tethered counterparts. The fluid movement reminded me a bit of an old Samurai movie, and its in these details Peele’s love for his work and influences really come across.
There is a lot to like about Us.
It’s surprising, dazzling to look at and the performances of the primary cast are powerful – but for me the ending was somewhat disappointing and I left feeling like it was missing something. This feeling may have been influenced by my subconscious expectations given how final the ending to ‘Get Out’ seemed (something I still think would stand had Peele went for the originally planned ending).
I know there is a lot of love out there for Us, so I’d really love to hear al the reasons why I’m wrong if you totally disagree with me!
Peele is writer and producer of the new Candyman set to be released this year, possibly one of my most anticipated films of 2021. Though I should probably try and lower my expectations just in case!
