LudicrUS!

Rating: 4/10 (8 April 2019)

Like Jordan Peele's first film, Get Out, his sophomoric second feature, Us, demonstrates that his directorial talent outweigh his ability as a scenarist. Despite good, if borrowed premises, both films become problematic in the final third where the elements don't come to a meaningful or satisfactory conclusion. Us, more ambitious and large scale than Get Out, is less enjoyable. It's both overlong and tiresome. How many times can I watch Lupita Nyong'o swing a golf club at a doppelganger? Unfortunately, the film gives one plenty of time to ponder the absurdities, inconsistencies and clichés. Why do the Wilsons' doppelgangers allow them so much time and opportunity to escape and ultimately survive while everyone else is killed immediately without warning. The tethered apparently destroyed all of Santa Cruz with no policeman firing a gun or anyone else offering resistance unlike the Wilsons whose son destroys his doppelganger by having it mimic his actions. And why does his mother waste time listening to her doppelganger spout (expository) gibberish instead of continuing to search for him in the underground. The underground is a mall with seating, numerous rabbits, classrooms, an escalator and perhaps a sweatshop that produces form-fitting red jumpsuits, leather gloves and shears! Get Out had some sharp humor; here the humor is ill-placed and uncertain. Despite the reviews that say it needs to been seen twice to be understood, once was more than enough for me. Like some other recent films: A Quiet Place, Velvet Buzzsaw and Bird Box, the antagonists/creatures need better definition, consistency, some sense of purpose and a screenplay that doesn't require the audience to fill in the gaping holes in logic and reason. An unsatisfactory film during which I was aware of the audience becoming fidgety.