An incredibly ambitious and well made film viciously exploring what it means to be American

Rating: 9/10 (13 April 2019)

Firstly, I'd like to make some concessions addressing some of the comments made in the negative reviews I read here. Yes, there are plot holes, and much of the movie is unexplained and non-logistical. How could a whole society of clones exist underneath us without us noticing? They couldn't. If they were created by a powerful group of overlords looking to control the general population, why wouldn't they be destroyed instead of kept alive? If you're looking for a realistic and extremely "believable" film, this isn't it.
But so much of the criticism, in my opinion, has a fundamental misunderstanding of what the artistic purpose of film is to many great film makers: to use an aesthetic project to convey an overwhelming feeling held by modern society. Like many, I see it as a criticism of the current attitudes towards income inequality. Two distinct classes are distinguished, Us (the relatable and privileged surface dwellers) and Them (the animalistic and deprived tethered). The tethered are terrifying, strange, and hard to sympathize with, and seem to be inherently violent. They're even described at certain points as "soulless" and "shadows."
But as we discover that Adelaide isn't exactly who she thinks she is, we are still made to root for her. She is ultimately a mother fighting to protect her family, an undeniably righteous cause. She's worked extremely hard to get where she is, and that's something we can all understand, because we all struggle every day to provide for our families and rise above our circumstances.
This movie is full of reflections, whether it be the ominous 11:11 or the consistent shadowy images of Adelaide in mirrors and glass. Even the scissors are two halves reflected. As much as we want to divorce the tethered from ourselves, it's apparent through Adelaide's development that their circumstances are what result in the behavior of the tethered, not some inherent evil in them. Both Red and Adelaide are capable of great violence when threatened, and the tethered are threatened. In my eyes, you can't deprive a whole population of love and freedom and not call that violence. Even the kids are violent when pushed to be.
The acting and casting in this movie are phenomenal, essential in such an ambitious film. N'yongo's performance in particular is breathtaking, and Wright Joseph also did an incredible job, even when not considering her age. (Her tethered, in my opinion, is the CREEPIEST LITTLE B-YAHTCH OF THE BUNCH). The cinematography is incredible, and significant in every scene if you know what to look for.
In many ways, this film is nonsensical and imperfect. However, it is rich in symbolism and dread that still rings through my head and heart long after watching. If we treat people like animals, they will act like them. And if they are made to feel like they have no place in the world, and are deprived of every opportunity and comfort, they will do what is necessary to take what they need. You can't blame the tethered for doing so, they just want exactly what our beloved characters want. Red is an inspiration to the tethered because she can tell them what they're missing, and what they crave is recognition, communication and community.
In the same way, we justify what we do to get to the top of our American society. We tell ourselves, we DESERVE this. Those who have nothing have nothing for a reason, right? And if they weren't the ones who have nothing, then WE would be the ones who had nothing. But in reality, the privileged and the oppressed are only borne of our circumstances, just like Red and Adelaide, and like them, we are essentially interchangeable. Instead of questioning how these tethered got here and who let the situation get so out of hand, we instead just demonize them, even though if we thought about it their violence would be understandable. Peele, in a thousand ways and images, illuminates all of the holes in our logic which we use constantly to justify the conditions which millions of low-and-middle-income individuals in this country live in. They are Us. We are Them. The only difference is, in reality, there are a hell of a lot more unprivileged than privileged. What happens when we realize that we will never be allowed to trade places with the rich?
Or at least, that's how I see it. Regardless of themes, this is a wonderfully made and acted film, every element of which is thoughtfully and beautifully expressed. I loved every second of it, especially considering the GARBAGE in theatres these days. Considering how huge this concept and idea is, it's not perfect, but it's damn close. I loved Get Out, and in a lot of ways it's a better film, but Us is fortuitous in a way that haunts me, and probably will for a long time.
(Basically, learn to not take things so literally and read between the lines. Interpret the symbols. It's fun, trust me, and you'll get a lot more out of movies in general.)