THEY ARE US

Rating: 8/10 (15 July 2019)

In just two films Jordan Peele has shown what a capable director he is. His first film GET OUT earned him an Oscar nomination in that category. I'm not sure his second film will follow but for fans of horror, science fiction and the just down right strange you'll find the film US a movie that will keep you watching.
The film opens in 1986 when young Adelaide Thomas on vacation at an amusement park in Vera Cruz with her family wanders away from her father and down to the beach. She notices a strange building, a haunted house of sorts there and enters only to see something that frightened her and would change her life forever.
Fast forward to the present as Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) is now married to Gabe Wilson (Winston Duke) with two young children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex). The family is on their way for their own vacation not far from Vera Cruz. Renting a house on the bay and a boat as well it seems to be a perfect time. With friends Kitty and Josh Tyler (Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker) and their two daughters things should be fun. But that changes suddenly when Jason sees a figure on the beach and discovers the same haunted house that Adelaide did years ago.
That night Jason looks out the front door and sees another family standing in their driveway. Not willing to be intimidated Gabe tells them to leave and threatens to call the police. And then things get really weird. The family begins tormenting the Wilsons by trying to break through the front door and smashing the windows. They eventually gain entrance, taking the family hostage.
At this point the Wilsons notice something about the intruders. They are each an exact copy of the Wilson family. Of this group only one seems able to speak, Red (also played by Nyong'o). Her voice is raspy but she talks about things as if Adelaide should know her. Could this be the person she saw long ago in that old building?
We're less than an hour into the film at this point and so much has taken place. We also discover that not only the Wilsons but the Tyler family have had the same thing happen to them. Who are these people? What do they want? Where are they from? And why do they look like exact duplicates of those whose house they enter?
Peele takes his time revealing the answers to these and more questions that arise as clues are offered. It takes a deft touch to accomplish this task and do so in a manner that will hold your interest from start to finish. He does that expertly here. It's no wonder he was chosen to head up the new version of TWILIGHT ZONE on CBS All Access.
Peele also wrote the script and if anything has a problem here it is minor bits and pieces with that. The standard fare found in horror films, the random stupid move by a character is found in the film. More often than not this usually involves female characters who run from killers only to trip and fall while screaming. In this case most of those moments fall to Gabe. Of all the characters in the film he is the one that most viewers will want to slap.
The performances here are well done by all. Nyong'o has the most to handle playing both Adelaide and Red. As one she's a shell shocked mother trying to save her family while the other is a raspy voiced murderous woman looking for escape and something else. Nope, no spoiler there you'll have to watch to find out just what that is. Duke does a good job as Gabe, the happy husband who thinks everything is fine and just wants things to go back to normal. Both Joseph and Alex turn in solid performances in roles that in the hands of lesser actors would ruin the whole film.
One thing to note is not to end the film too quickly. This is one that keeps giving even after you think you have it all figured out. And then it changes things up again. And then it makes you think perhaps what you thought happened wasn't right all along. An interesting movie that will frighten some and fascinate others and one to enjoy.