Us

After Jordan Peele ultimately won an Academy Award for “Best Original Screenplay” from his directorial debut known as “Get Out,” he began to work on a screenplay for his next movie inspired by “The Twilight Zone” episode titled, “Mirror Image.” After penning the script, he recruited Oscar winning actress, Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Black Panther) to portray the lead character & lead antagonist. He also recruited Winston Duke (Black Panther) to co-lead the film.

After a year of filming, post-production & editing all the juicy details. Jordan’s second film titled, “Us,” had an early screening at “South By Southwest” (SXSW for short) two weeks before the film’s worldwide release, like Get Out, it earned critical acclaim from critics. So far, Us is currently making revenue at the box office.

Now that Jordan will host a revival of The Twilight Zone slated to stream on April 1st via CBS All Access, I want to share my honest thoughts about Jordan’s second film.

The following review contains very important SPOILERS. If you never got a chance to see Us, read at your very own risk. Is it on the same level as Get Out or a miscalculation? Let’s find out shall we? If I were you, don’t read the negative section, because it lists crucial information!

Yay & Nay Aspects

Yay: Lupita Nyong’o & Winston Duke both did an excellent job for their respective performances.

Fun Fact: This is the second time Lupita & Winston worked together since “Black Panther.” Seeing the pair onscreen is kinda like Marvel fan fiction adapted to the silver screen.

Jordan Peele did a great job directing the film.

Other Cast Members such as Elizabeth Moss, (Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale) Tim Heidecker, (half of the titular comedy duo from Tim & Eric) Anna Diop (Starfire from Titans) & Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Manta from Aquaman) all did a solid job for their respective performances.

Visual Effects brought the lead characters’ doppelgängers to life using editing techniques. Practical Effects were also used to coordinate Death Scenes, Prosthetic Make-Up or anything to make the film realistic as possible.

Scare Factor has some legit moments. No Jump Scares weren’t used excessively. The real horror centers around a first encounter with your exact duplicate and how it will try to stalk or possibly kill you adding a flare of “Nightmare Fuel.”

Death Scenes are brutal it’ll make you feel sick to your stomach. I suggest a barf bag to prevent a nasty mess or hightail it to the nearest bathroom.

Although labeled as a horror-thriller, humor in the film got me laughing. Winston’s character, Gabe was funny as the comic relief.

Musical Score has memorable tracks like a sinister chant provided by a choir.

A number serves as a recurring motif.

The color red is a significant recurring plot element. I guess Jordan’s been watching the works of Stanley Kubrick.

Cinematography felt normal featuring distinctive shots, shadows & good close-up shots.

Lupita’s character, Adelaide has a messed up backstory connected to her counterpart.

The Wilson Family & their counterparts were memorable based on their individual personality. They must learn to face themselves if they want to survive.

To spice things up a bit, take a sip every time a character says “Us.” Stick to water or non-alcoholic beverages, I do not condone alcohol poisoning.

A Plot Twist is revealed. To be honest, I didn’t see it coming. I’m giving it an Extra Point for “the big reveal.”

Upon first viewing, you can rewatch to find Easter Eggs, recurring motifs etc. It’s worth a second viewing.

Nay: Despite his talented directing, Jordan did a lackluster job writing the mythology surrounding The Doppelgängers.

A Plot Hole involving how The Doppelgängers’ origin is connected to our world. There’s no explanation if a “maintenance worker” or other individuals investigating the source of all the commotion.

Another Plot Hole involving why The U.S. Marines never showed up on screen to investigate & track down doppelgängers. The Military in this film are a bunch of self-centered wimps who don’t even care about humanity but only rely on joining a Twitter battle with “The Commander & Chief” tweeting nasty things about Rosie O’Donnell. I have no choice but to Double Down this con for breaking my Suspension Of Disbelief.

The location were The Doppelgängers came from was completely stupid. There’s witnesses present. It’s the equivalent of Kim Kardashian giving away her location on Instagram which is the cause behind the burglars stealing her jewelry. I can’t believe I’m saying this over a Jordan Peele movie, The Doppelgängers are so stupid like the Harry & Marv from Home Alone.

Every single doppelgänger carried nothing but a pair of scissors. Why didn’t they loot firearms or katanas? Scott Evil from Austin Powers pointed out why Dr. Evil could’ve annihilated Austin with a gun instantly.

The Final Verdict: C, FOR CARDI B’S FART BUBBLES!

Although several critics are calling Us a critical hit, from my point of view, Jordan Peele’s second film is a disappointment. It’s not really on the same level as Get Out, but rather miscalculation. It could’ve been better if The Doppelgängers were written properly as highly trained soldiers with unique abilities, that would’ve made the stakes higher. If you want to watch a good movie, I recommend “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” or “Captain Marvel.”

Jordan confirmed he’s gonna work on a “Candyman” remake. Will it be as good as Get Out? Who knows, all we can do is wait & cross our fingers.