What's happening here? This doesn't feel right!

Rating: 8/10 (2 March 2018)

I've been a fan of horror movies and thrillers ever since I figured out how the TV worked. Always preferred older movies but also always kept my eyes and mind open for new instant classics. The problem is that so very few REALLY good horror movies come out nowadays, and when I read exaggeratedly praising and positive reviews about an alleged new masterpiece, I automatically become skeptical. Jordan Peele's "Get Out" was such an example. Literally everybody, acclaimed critics as well as ordinary mainstream audiences, was mad-raving enthusiast about "Get Out" and now it's even nominated for several Oscars, including best picture and best screenplay! I honestly must admit I never expected that a film like this would ever become nominated for the most important categories in such a hypocrite and predetermined contest for the elite. It'll never win, of course, but still.
It must be underlined that "Get Out" isn't groundbreakingly original, extremely intelligent or a genuine masterwork of scripting. There are, however, many things that the film - and the debuting director Jordan Peele in particular - does exceptionally well. First and foremost, the atmosphere! Although not featuring any graphic violence for the largest part of the film, the atmosphere is continuously ominous and hinting at something dreadful that can occur at any given moment. There's only a very selected number of classic horror films that uphold the "there's something terribly wrong here" sentiment for so long, and it provides "Get Out" with the same unique vibe as pure classics like "Seconds", "Rosemary's Baby", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Stepford Wives" (the 1975 original, of course, not the idiotic Nicole Kidman remake). Secondly, you just cannot surpass Peele's truly unsurpassable approach of racial differences! Without explicitly mentioning about racial tension or introducing obviously racist characters, Peele shows that racial segregation is irreversibly integrated in our modern day social culture. This aspect of "Get Out" is indescribably unique, in fact. The harder the protagonists try to profile themselves as anti-racist, the more uncomfortable you get with them. Equally brilliant in this domain are the setting, costumes and tiny little details. The word "slavery" is never said out loud, yet look at the Armitage mansion, the style of their household staff and the crucial role of cotton at a certain point. Thirdly, and this is a joint effort with the ensemble cast, the performances in "Get Out" are extremely high standard. Atypical role or not, Daniel Kaluuya truly deserves the Best Actor nomination for his depiction of the insecure, skeptical and visibly petrified Chris Washington.
What's the story about, then? Well, I'm convinced that "Get Out" is one of those films for which they invented the rule of: "the less you know the better". Personally, I think that even rudimentary elements like the title or the cast list already reveal too much. If I was Jordan Peele, I would have named the film "What is happening here?" or "This doesn't feel right", but of course I respect their choice from a marketing point of view. I'm well aware of the fact that most reviews provide at least a brief synopsis or hint at vital twists in the third act, but my advice is to know as little as possible before you watch. I can't finish the review without mentioning that "Get Out" isn't flawless. Notably the comic relief aspect, provided mainly by Lil Rel Howery , isn't the least bit impressive and even somewhat misplaced. In a way, Jordan Peele is guilty of racial stereotyping himself with this, although I reckon it was a deliberate choice. He's a comedian, after all.