Us | Teen Ink

Us

August 10, 2019
By MovieReviewer_18 ELITE, Short Hills, New Jersey
MovieReviewer_18 ELITE, Short Hills, New Jersey
678 articles 0 photos 8 comments

 Us is a truly thrilling mystery that infuses elements of horror and metaphors of what society is like today to create a clever film that is both symbolically meaningful and entertaining in its entirety. The movie revolves around the Wilson family, consisting of Adelaide, her husband, Gabe, her daughter and her son, as they go to the beachfront home that Adelaide grew up at. Now back at this home, which reminds her of her past, Adelaide becomes increasingly scared at staying at this home, especially when she remembers a horrifying memory of her childhood past. Adelaide feels as if strange coincidences are occurring and that something truly bad and sinister is about to happen. Although her husband, Gabe, doesn't share any of her suspicions at first, just thinking that she's overreacting, he is quickly proven wrong when Adelaide's fears come alive. It all begins when four masked strangers show up on their driveway, just standing there as a family, not speaking or leaving when Gabe politely asks them to. Just as the family begins to discover that something bad is about to occur, they realize that the police are already far away, meaning that they are going to have to handle this situation alone. As the four strangers begin to descend upon the home, showing no mercy and breaking into their abode, the Wilsons finally learn that this is going to be the ultimate fight for survival. However, things get even worse. When the masked strangers finally take off their masks, the Wilsons realize that each intruder takes the appearance of one of them. 
 Us manages to be dark and mysterious throughout, and the movie understands how to truly generate intensity. The thick of the movie sucks audiences in with its captivating, story-driven plot that is simply so thought through that viewers will have no idea what comes next. As a thriller, it shouldn't be that shocking that there are plenty of thrilling twists and turns, but the quantity and quality of these surprises is quite the feat. As the movie unravels, watchers quickly learn that things aren't entirely as they seem and that things are about to get increasingly more twisted with reveals about the truth. While the movie does certainly have some strong literary aspects, like how it acts as a reflection of what society has turned into in this day and age, Jordan Peele, the director of the film, manages to turn his powerful political statement and transform it into a truly unnerving horror that manages to genuinely make audiences feel uneasy and afraid. 

 Us possesses a cohesive story that feels as if the more one thinks about it, the smarter it becomes. The beginning of the movie jump-starts the whole adventure and manages to seamlessly introduce audiences to the Wilson family, while also balancing between showcasing what it was like for Adelaide to grow up in the house as a little girl and now to go back to it as an adult. The middle of the movie does an excellent job of progressing the plot along and adding new and exciting details to the story to make things substantially more interesting. While the middle portion of any film tends to be one of the weaker portions, this is simply not the case with this one as the movie delves straight into the thick of what it's trying to convey. The enticing ending of the movie proves to be everything and then some that audiences could have possibly hoped for, and with help from a truly spectacular twist at the very end, the conclusion of the movie manages to brilliantly wrap up the entire adventure by connecting back to the start to bring everything together. 

 Us has a talented cast that shines throughout as they allow their raw acting skills to take the spotlight. Lupita Nyongo'o is simply terrific as Adelaide Wilson, as well as the doppelgänger, and she manages to bring passion and emotion to the star role. Her breakout performance is truly a marvel, and regardless of what's going on, her performance oozes with talent. Winston Duke's version of Gabe Wilson is funny and a fantastic portrayal of a father. He manages to add plenty of comedy to the movie and ensures that the tone never becomes overly dark or grim. While there are plenty of other noteworthy roles, like Shahadi Wright Joseph's Zora Wilson, Lupita is the true star of the movie, because her performance is about as close to flawless as they come. She's perfect for the movie and helps to bring the whole thriller together. 

 Us is just such a marvelous film that anybody and everybody needs to see this movie to formulate their own opinions on this majestic story that is symbolic and creative throughout. The movie actually has a profound message with its own personal opinions on what the world has turned into, and not only is the movie intelligent, but it is also immensely entertaining to behold. There's a reason why this movie received an impressive 94% from Rotten Tomatoes, because all of the praise that this film has received is justified. This movie is easily one of the best movies of 2019, and without a doubt, this is an absolute must-see. 


The author's comments:

"When I was a kid, I went to that boardwalk with my parents. I wandered off. I don’t know why. I just did. I ended up in that hall of mirrors. There was another girl in there. She looked like me. Exactly like me. [...] She wasn’t a reflection. She was real. She was real. She… I ran as fast as I could. My whole life, I’ve felt like she’s still coming for me." - Adelaide Wilson


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