Competent mystery/suspense (not horror), but missed the opportunity to subvert stereotyping.

Rating: 6/10 (10 March 2017)

I don't get why this is being labeled as "horror" when it's clearly mystery/suspense movie. There's literally no horror about it. I can agree with most assessments that it's rather original for the most part, though I'm not sure I'm in the boat with the idea that it's the most amazing thing ever or anything...but then again, I'm the guy who didn't think The Babadook or It Follows were all that great either so I'm not quite as easily won over as most people seem to be these days when it comes to these kinds of "horror" movies. This was definitely leaps and bounds better than the aforementioned movies, but it still left a bit to be desired for me. For what it is, it's a very competent movie, but I do wish some of the mystery was allowed to sit before making certain aspects obvious as soon as they did. I had it figured out pretty far before the halfway point, but had they not pointed certain things out so early, it might not have been so easy. I just think they leaned a bit too far with the wink & nod 'hinting' at what was to come and made it too obvious.
I did like that the main guy wasn't a completely oblivious moron, which was nice. Unfortunately, I think that's what was a bit of the problem up front, because it was his lack of obviousness that lead to those "hey something isn't right here" moments early on that basically headed up those winks & nods being too obvious. That, or the case could be argued that the signs themselves were too obvious that even a normal acting character would have picked up on them as much as I did. In either case, they could have been much more coy about it as not to spoil the twist too early. There are also some horror tropes that eked their way in on occasion, especially at the end where they employed the 'bad guy coming back' thing which is pretty tired.
Complaints aside, it's actually a pretty good movie. I just want to dispel some of the hype that it's some kind of special, flawless godsend. It's a very competent mystery suspense, and there are some excellent comedy moments that managed to find their way in (seems Peele just couldn't help himself from doing what he does best). I don't think it's going to be a classic that I re-watch probably ever, but it's definitely worth seeing.
Side notes: If you're black, you may find this hits closer to home to you if you feel like you're marginalized by society and don't take well to slavery type movies. If you're white and easily offended you'll probably want to skip it because it does make white people the rich out-of-touch bad guys, and it does kind of touch on slavery more than a couple of times. I don't fit into either of those boats (I loved both Free State of Jones and the 2016 Birth of a Nation) but it's definitely something that is there, so just keep that in mind if you're that kind of person. There was a guy next to me who was kind of upset most of the film (that and he couldn't stay off his phone), and lots of murmuring and shifting in seats all around the theater so both a good chunk of both black and white were uncomfortable during the film. If you want to see this and not be uncomfortable in public, you may want to wait for home release.
There are also a lot of stereotypes going on here on both sides. White people envy black people for being so cool, and athletic. Black people don't trust shifty old whitey. Thinking back at watching it, I really wish more time was spent dispelling some of the stereotyping they did. I mean, in the beginning it felt like they were doing that, but then it devolved into being more stereotyped as it went...ultimately making it that white people are all purposely out to steal how cool and athletic black people are. To some degree, I imagine it's supposed to be satire, but I can see where this movie is going to cause controversy because if the satire is meant to be there, it's not particularly obvious.
****SPOILER AREA****
I really really was hoping that the daughter wasn't in on it. It would have kept the whole thing feeling so much more fresh than what it ended up being. The idea that just because they're family and white doesn't mean she has to be in on it too, and just another crazy white person who wants to be black. If they just made her the city girl, who got away from her family, and didn't spend a lot of time with them - the outcast if you will - who loves black people for a different reason other than just wanting to brainwash them and steal their lifestyle, then it would have been so much more refreshing.
Specifically, the moment this movie could have taken the high road would be the end. Guy finds her pics of past boyfriends, and they could have left out the "slaves" at the house from the box of photos and let the audience just SUSPECT that she was in on it...then when she's looking for the keys, the brother could have conked her out or restrained her, having her vocalize "Mom? Dad? What the hell is going on?!" before getting tied up or knocked out.
It would have been much better that way. It really would have.