'Us' shows that Jordan Peele has got a hold on the horror genre

Story 

The Wilson's family vacation is disturbed when they are terrorized by a maniacal family that looks just like them.

The beauty of movies like this is that there is more to them than meets the eye and this one is no different. Without giving away anything, this movie takes you on a journey and you don't know where you are going to end up. This is the kind of movie that starts as one thing and morphs into another as the film goes on as what starts as a home invasion movie becomes more than that.

Acting 

Lupita Nyong'o gives a masterclass in acting in this movie. Before I saw this movie I saw a lot of tweets saying that she should be nominated for an Oscar next year and I wholeheartedly agree. All the main actors play 2 characters in this movie and Lupita wows as both of her characters. Even though the two of them are very different, they are also very similar which is what makes her acting so good. On one hand she is a mother who is trying to protect her family and on the other hand, she is trying to tear said family apart. While both of her characters are on screen together, it is very hard to look way because her performance is electric. She owns this movie.

The movie also stars Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Shahadi Wright, Evan Alex, Tim Heidecker, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Anna Diop.

Winston Dule is somewhat of an audience surrogate. His characters Gabriel is also the ultimate movie dad. He has all the jokes and quips which are some of the funniest moments in the movie. However, he isn't just the comic relief character. He plays a heartwarming character who much like Adelaide (Lupita's character) would stop at nothing to protect his family.

The movie introduces us to Shahadi Wright and Evan Alex who are two incredibly talented actors. I haven't seen anything else they have done (this a breakout role for the both of them) but I am very excited to see where they go from here.

All the main actors show that they have range, they're able to play two characters who are so different yet similar at the same time.

Writing/Direction 

The writing in this much like 'Get Out' is more than you think it is. While you can enjoy the movie on the surface (and you will) it becomes more interesting when you think about the deeper meaning of the story. This article from The Hollywood Reporter is just one of many breakdowns that cover the themes of the movie (watch the movie first though).  There hasn't been a movie like this one before and because of that, it holds your attention from beginning to end. You don't know where the story is going to take you and it is one hell of a ride.

As we all know this movie was directed by Jordan Peele. When it was announced that this was going to be his next film after 'Get Out', I was ridiculously excited and this movie did not disappoint. The direction in this movie is A1. It is filled with genuine suspense as you can anticipate what is going to happen in some scenes but are completely in the dark about what is actually going on in other and because of that, you pay attention to everything. This is one of those movies where everything matters and nothing is put in the movie by chance which leads me to believe it would work on multiple watches as there are things I didn't notice until the film was over.

The use of wide shots and close-ups pull you into the scene, especially the more emotionally charged ones. There are also brilliant tracking shots which allow us to get a sense of what is going on around the family.  Mike Giolakis did a great job with the cinematography.

CGI/Set Design 

Even though there is CGI in this movie, it isn't integral to the story or visible enough for a full commentary on it.

The set design, however, is something to note. At first glance it appears normal and not noteworthy in any way, however, the more I thought about it, the more interesting the set design became, there is a lot of symmetry in the set design and shot composition and I'm guessing that they work as visual cue to remind you od the duality of the movie and the characters.

Score/Soundtrack 

The score is incredible and my favourite score of the year so far. The use of music (and lack thereof) was perfect. When the score was used it amplified what was going on on-screen and added a heightened sense of fear and dread. Michael Abels crafted a suspenseful score that sent shivers down my spine on multiple occasions as I watched the film. Violins are a central part of film scores and this one the violin becomes isolated leaving a very creepy sound. I don't know who played that violing but they are incredibly talented.

The movie also uses the song 'I Got 5 On It' by Luniz and I listened to the song as I wrote this review but I will never hear the song or any of the songs used in the movie the same way again.

 There is also a brilliant use of silence, and not just in the tense moments, even dialogue scenes lack any kind of background noise and it draws you into the film and what the characters are saying.

Overall Thoughts

I missed Get Out when it came out and didn't see it in cinemas, and I told myself that I was not going to miss a chance to see Jordan Peele's next film on the big screen and I'm glad that I didn't.

Us is not your typical horror movie, it doesn't rely on the typical horror movie tropes and while does have jump scares, it relies on characters and a story that gets under your skin and makes you feel more and more unsettled as the film goes on.

 Jordan Peele crafted an amazing film that you should definitely see. I can't wait to watch it again and comb through all the minute details that I missed on my first watch.