Jordan Peele’s much anticipated Us hit the theaters as the highest grossing original film/horror film opening weekend — a massive achievement for not only Peele, but a momentous occasion for the opening up of Hollywood. While the film is a suitably creepy with Peele’s flair for alarming visuals and great directing, the film is difficult to pin down in its meaning of the film itself. Peele himself has said that Us is a straight horror flick and not social commentary, a calculated decision to show off his versatility. However, the final product is a mish-mash of hints towards some greater meaning. Nyong’o says to her double ‘Who are you?’ and her tether replies ‘We are Americans’ with no real explanation. It’s vagueness and unclear metaphors like that which confuses the Us viewing experience.
Having said all that of that, Us (2019) is definitely worth the watch and worth the watch in the big screens. While there may have been some missteps, it’s thrilling to see a black director like Jordan Peele knock the doors off Hollywood in 2019 with a bang. Especially with exceptional actors like Lupita Nyong’o and Shahadi Wright Joseph.
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