Same Missteps as "Get Out"

Rating: 7/10 (8 August 2019)

Jordan Peele's follow up to "Get Out" recreates both much of what worked about that earlier film and the missteps that ultimately made it less than satisfying.
"Us" ratchets up the tension nicely as it introduces us to a loving family on vacation in a cabin in the woods. It then explodes into an invigorating blend of visceral horror and very funny comedy as that family is attacked by a group of doppelgangers bent on doing them harm for unknown reasons. But as the film draws to its obtuse conclusion, Peele feels the need to over explain, and the creepy mystery at the film's center instead turns into awkward and literal plot exposition. How much more satisfying everything might have been if left unexplained.
Still, most of this film is wildly entertaining, and Peele is one director who makes films that feel completely plugged into our troubled times. He really does have a unique style, and both "Get Out" and "Us" bear the stamp of a formidable originality. It's just his storytelling that needs some work.
The acting in this movie is fantastic, especially by Lupita Nyong'o, who's fierce in a double role as the mom and the mom's frightening twin. It's not an exaggeration to say that her performance is award worthy.
Grade: A-