Us **** (2019, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker) – Movie Review

Jordan Peele follows his surprise hit Get Out (2017) with another quirky hit horror movie, which has turned out to be an even bigger success. Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex play the comfortably off vacationing Wilson family who are faced with death and destruction when a doppelgänger family terrorises them.

Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker play the family’s selfish, self-absorbed white neighbours, who are also terrorised by the doppelgängers – and then by their own doppelgängers!

Though writer-director Jordan Peele spins the saga out, that is it in a nutshell. There is no more to it than that. But it has the feel of a new idea, which helps make the movie fresh and exciting, even though it accesses various chillers over the years from The Birds to Funny Games.

After a long, slow start, building the tension and suspense, Us finally kicks in and delivers the shivers, scares and shocks expected of a horror movie, even an upmarket one like this. The first appearance of the doppelgängers is a classic fear moment. Let the funny games begin! There are several scream out loud (possibly) moments for those who like to scream out loud at movies. It really is quite violent, full on and unpleasant in places, in accordance with the genre thrills. He keeps it going relentlessly along without much of a pause for a full two hours.

It doesn’t actually make any sense, with no explanation for the doppelgängers, as with The Birds, but it by and large works on its own terms. Peele coats it in a classy look, keeping it looking arresting throughout, especially with his odd angles and travelling camera shots. The performances are good, especially top-billed Nyong’o, who is excellent both as Adelaide Wilson and doppelgänger Red. The doppelgängers really are quite chilling, the stuff of nightmares, with their relentless attack, bad attitude, home invasion plan and their scary scissors.

And the rabbits? Who knows?

It is rated R or 15 for violence, terror and strong language.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Movie Review

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