Plot incoherence is used to fuel deeper allegory

Rating: 10/10 (23 March 2019)

If you need your horror or sci-fi to have a pretty straight forward plot that can readily be explained from point A to point B, even if the viewer needs to reshuffle the pieces a bit, this film will annoy you. There are some fairly large questions that are left unanswered. Moreover, I don't think there is any way to truly piece the film together entirely. The plot is frayed at the ends. Personally, I don't have a problem with this largely because I think it opens the film up to have many things read into it.
The central metaphor and allegory seems readily open to discuss the following topics: racism, classism, trauma/mental health, American tendency to try to gloss over the past and/or the current ugly social conditions, parenting styles (!), the divided self and how divide the US currently is. This ambiguity in subtext is maddening in the way good puzzles are. I suspect there really isn't one definitive answer but several plausible ones. The writing is crisp enough that this seems intentional. Regardless of the question of deeper meaning the characters are utterly engaging and the surface plotting (i.e the gags) is great. Horror characters are often extremely stupid people. Peele has a knack for writing them so they don't seem stupid and the vast majority of the behavior is reasonable. I will also warn that there is a pretty big "twist" that seems obvious to me. (I guess it within 10 minutes) While I found this added to the tension others might get annoyed by that.
The 2nd act of the film is utterly intense and Peele's direction is remarkably sure handed. I am sure there is a mirror beat in the 2nd act for every development in the 1st and 3rd act. It adds to the overall unnerving effect of the film. Peele mixes comedy, horror and dark humor with ease and the middle hour is more creepy and messed up than Get Out. (I consider this film slightly better than Get Out). If nothing else horror junkies will love the 2nd act.
The acting is very good but Lupita Nyong'o gives the first truly striking performance of the year. So much of the film depends on how you perceive each of the two characters she plays. She nails the terror and the horror. She nails the duality of humanity. She carries this film entirely and utterly elevates the material. I think she is better here than in 12 Years a Slave. I just hope she is remembered come next award season.
First great film of the year.