Us
Us
Us is a horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele, and released in 2019. I honestly think that this is one of the best horror films from the 2010's, and I hope that it is part of a new and fresh direction that horror films might be going in. Jordan Peele was asked why he only casts black actors in the leading roles of his films, and his response was that we have already seen horror films with white leads, that is most of what we have seen, and he doesn't want to make a film that we have already seen. Many of the concepts of Us, are not original concepts really, but to be seen from the "black" perspective, and written and directed by a black artist gives it an original twist and view. Jordan Peele is a fellow cinephile and throughout this film he pays homage to so many great films, like you see an influence of Nightmare On Elm Street, you see an influence from Night Of The Living Dead, The Lost Boys, Michael Jackson's Thriller, even the idea of the story was inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone, however this film is none of those films, and is original and fresh, but fans of those films may fight a sense of familiarity with Us. If this is a taste of what is to come from this amazing director, then I am excited for what the future holds for the horror genre.
The actors in Us all play duel roles, of themselves and of their doppelgangers. The film stars Lupita Nyong'o as adult Adelaide Wilson and Red, the teenage Adelaide/Red is played by Ashley McKoy, and the young Adelaide/Red is played by Madison Curry. Adelaide's family is played by Winston Duke as Gabe Wilson/Abraham, Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora Wilson/Umbrae, and Evan Alex as Jason Wilson/Pluto. The Wilson's friends the Tylers are played by Elisabeth Moss as Kitty Tyler/Dahlia, Tim Heidecker as Josh Tyler/Tex, Cali Sheldon as Becca Tyler/Io, and Noelle Sheldon as Lindsey Tyler/Nix. Young Adelaide's parents are played by Yahya Absuel-Mateen II as Russel Thomas/Weyland, and Anna Diop as Rayne Thomas/Eartha. This film is so perfectly cast, I especially love the casting of Winston Duke as Gabe, he is such a wholesome dad character, with his corney dad jokes, and just the way that he tries so hard to keep his family upbeat and positive, but he also has this "man" quality to him, where he feels like he needs to protect his family. He is not just the comic relief, but the grounding and wholesome element that is important in a film like this, so that it doesn't just get lost in darkness. In the special features for the DVD Peele described the characters as "an Archetypal
The actors in Us all play duel roles, of themselves and of their doppelgangers. The film stars Lupita Nyong'o as adult Adelaide Wilson and Red, the teenage Adelaide/Red is played by Ashley McKoy, and the young Adelaide/Red is played by Madison Curry. Adelaide's family is played by Winston Duke as Gabe Wilson/Abraham, Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora Wilson/Umbrae, and Evan Alex as Jason Wilson/Pluto. The Wilson's friends the Tylers are played by Elisabeth Moss as Kitty Tyler/Dahlia, Tim Heidecker as Josh Tyler/Tex, Cali Sheldon as Becca Tyler/Io, and Noelle Sheldon as Lindsey Tyler/Nix. Young Adelaide's parents are played by Yahya Absuel-Mateen II as Russel Thomas/Weyland, and Anna Diop as Rayne Thomas/Eartha. This film is so perfectly cast, I especially love the casting of Winston Duke as Gabe, he is such a wholesome dad character, with his corney dad jokes, and just the way that he tries so hard to keep his family upbeat and positive, but he also has this "man" quality to him, where he feels like he needs to protect his family. He is not just the comic relief, but the grounding and wholesome element that is important in a film like this, so that it doesn't just get lost in darkness. In the special features for the DVD Peele described the characters as "an Archetypal
Foursome", and said, "with Adelaide being the leader, Zora Being the warrior, Gabe being the fool, and Jason being the wizard or magician". I feel like that is a great description of these characters, and honestly they would make a great D&D party, though there is a lack of a physical healer, though in many ways I feel like Gabe acts as our emotional healer. This film is just so perfectly cast, and each character is so perfect in their roles.
Us is one of the great horror films produced in part by Jason Blum, though not actually a Blumhouse productions, it was instead produced by Mokeypaw Productions and Perfect World Pictures, and distributed through Universal Pictures. Us was made with a budget of $20 million and had a box-office gross of over $255 million, making it a very successful film, and one of the top grossing horror films of all-time. Us was also met with critical success, and is ranked quite high on online film ranking sites.
Us is also noted for its social/political critiques that is makes through art, and though I do want to keep this blog as non-political as I can, I do want to say that I believe this film is a great commentary on inequality in America, and the division of the "haves" and "have-nots". Peele himself says that in the film he is making a statement about privilege, and I think that is a very obvious point that he makes. However this film does not have to be seen as a political message, and can just be enjoyed as a great entertaining horror film, but if you are open and willing to conversations of privilege and inequality in the United States, that conversation is open to you in this film to have and think about. Peele has stated that the film is meant to be not only entertaining but thought provoking, and I feel like since this film is from the voice of a black creator that we should listen to what he has to say about privilege and inequality in the film, and think about that, and hopefully carry that with us as we leave the film.
Overall this is an amazing film, and I can't wait to see more from Jordan Peele, and I hope that this is part of a new direction of horror films. With films like Us, as well as all of the amazing films that A24 is releasing, and that Blumhouse is releasing, I think that there is a bright future for horror films, now if only we could stop with the tired reboots of classics, and start focusing more on these new and original ideas that amazing directors like Jordan Peele are putting out, I think that horror as a genre is only going to get better.
Us is also noted for its social/political critiques that is makes through art, and though I do want to keep this blog as non-political as I can, I do want to say that I believe this film is a great commentary on inequality in America, and the division of the "haves" and "have-nots". Peele himself says that in the film he is making a statement about privilege, and I think that is a very obvious point that he makes. However this film does not have to be seen as a political message, and can just be enjoyed as a great entertaining horror film, but if you are open and willing to conversations of privilege and inequality in the United States, that conversation is open to you in this film to have and think about. Peele has stated that the film is meant to be not only entertaining but thought provoking, and I feel like since this film is from the voice of a black creator that we should listen to what he has to say about privilege and inequality in the film, and think about that, and hopefully carry that with us as we leave the film.
Overall this is an amazing film, and I can't wait to see more from Jordan Peele, and I hope that this is part of a new direction of horror films. With films like Us, as well as all of the amazing films that A24 is releasing, and that Blumhouse is releasing, I think that there is a bright future for horror films, now if only we could stop with the tired reboots of classics, and start focusing more on these new and original ideas that amazing directors like Jordan Peele are putting out, I think that horror as a genre is only going to get better.
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