Once everyone saw the trailer for “Us,” a few things went through their minds. First off, a black family starring in a horror film? That’s just about non-existent. Second….let’s all give Mr. Peele a round of applause for that rendition of “I Got 5 On It.” It turned the song from a simple throwback to a scare tactic. Tastefully.
“Us” has already broken major records. It surpassed the amount of money Jordan Peele’s first movie “Get Out” made, and it’s making more money than it was projected to. On top of that, Variety reported, “‘Us’ now has the largest weekend for an original horror movie, surpassing ‘A Quiet Place,’ as well as the biggest launch for an original R-rated film behind ‘Ted.’”
All over the internet, the movie is getting mixed reviews. Either you loved it, or you hated it. There isn’t much in between.
After seeing the movie its opening weekend, below are 8 opinions I have about the movie to help you decide whether or not to see it.
1. The cast did phenomenal
#BlackExcellence all the way, y’all.
If you’ve seen the trailer, you know that Lupita N’yongo stars as the mother in the film, along with Winston Dukes, who plays as her husband. The two young actors who play as their children (Evan Alex and Shahadi Wright Joseph) are newer faces, but they did an amazing job. I mean, amazing. By the way the cast acted on-screen and in the trailer, they brought their characters to life. Seeing as how they had to play characters on opposite sides of the spectrum, you have to applaud them even more for their performances.
2. Don’t go into the movie with any assumptions
The trailer only scratches the surface of what the movie is really about. Hardly even that. It scratches the surface of the surface. There’s a whole lot more to the movie than the little peek that Peele gave us. There are many assumptions that the trailer gives viewers that you realize aren’t true in the movie. Basically, the movie is a lot bigger than the trailer.
3. Be prepared for some thrills
I personally wouldn’t say the movie was a horror film, but more of a thriller. It was definitely creepy in some ways and made me cringe a few times. If you have any interest in seeing this movie, more than likely you’re a fan of scary movies. But for the person who tries to stay clear of them, relax, it’s honestly not as bad as you think.
4. Subliminal messages galore
While watching the movie, I was honestly trying to figure out the significance of what was going on. The why. Considering all the messages “Get Out” had in it, surely Peele left something for viewers in “Us.”
Of course, while you’re watching the movie, it’s up to you to decide what it means to you. But once you’re done watching it, hit up Google and find out what Peele meant for you to see…and find out all the hundreds of other subliminal messages you more than likely missed.
5. Something about the father…
There were aspects of Duke’s character that I simply DID NOT like. I didn’t like the way his character acted in certain situations in relation to his wife. I’ll just leave it at that and let you take your own opinion on the matter…
6. It was funny
On top of the thrills, there were also laughs. It added a refreshing and sort of casual aspect to the movie, which was nice.
7. The story came full circle
I’m a sucker for storylines that don’t completely make sense in the beginning, but everything makes sense in the end. But it has to be done in a crafty way, which is exactly what Peele was able to do. Well, except for the ending…
8. There’s a cliffhanger
Yep. There’s a cliffhanger. Which isn’t bad, but it makes you leave the theater like…”what?” I guess except if you’re smart (unlike me). If you got it and don’t need anymore context, then by all means — explain it to me.
All in all, I think “Us” was a movie that displays something about society and ourselves. Peele is to be commended for how interesting, different and completely original his movie was. With everyone either sampling whole songs in their music or remaking older movies, seeing an original movie with an interesting storyline is refreshing.
I think the movie kind of went south for me in that parts of it wasn’t completely believable in my opinion. I’ve seen movies where there’s a bizarre situation, then when it’s explained, it’s kind of like….”eh.” That’s how it was for me.
I’d watch “Us” again to pick up some things I missed, and I think it was a good movie. The best part though is that no matter how I felt about it, going to see it was worth it because I supported a black director. A good black director.
I can’t wait to see what Jordan Peele comes out with next.
