Us (2019) Review

"It's us."

-Jason Wilson

While on vacation near Santa Cruz, the Wilson family witnesses a group of people standing outside of their vacation home.  To their horror, they realize the people are demented doppelgängers of themselves.  The Wilson's are forced to band together to fight their counterparts, while Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) has to finally confront the trauma that happened to her in Santa Cruz when she was a child.

To really discuss Us, I will have to get into spoilers, but I give this film a very high recommendation, so go watch it before you read any further!

What Works:

Us is a movie that is very easy to get invested in because we like all of the characters.  The Wilson's are a strong family unit and each bring something to the table.  Early in the film they are all very terrified and confused with the situation.  Who wouldn't be?  But as the film progresses, all of these characters become strong and are willing and able to fight back.  The Wilson's are not only relatable, but badass, and this makes them easy to root for.

The movie is incredibly creepy with some very memorable sequences thanks to the chilling performances by the cast as the doppelgängers.  All of them are incredibly twisted, but each in their own unique way.  They aren't zombies, they actually have personality and that prevents the film from getting stale.  Each doppelgänger is their own different kind of threat and that adds a lot of fun to the film.

There are also a few funny moments in this film.  Not all of them work and a couple are a bit out of place, but most of them are very funny.  Probably my favorite scene in the film comes when the Wilson's start arguing about who is going to drive which devolves into them arguing about who has the highest kill count so far.  I cracked up at this scene, which reminded me a lot of Gimli and Legolas arguing about their kills in The Lord of the Rings.

The score of this movie is very haunting and unsettling.  It's used effectively throughout the film, but it's at its best in the climactic showdown between Adeline and Red (Lupita Nyong'o).  The score is used excellently in this sequence and makes it really feel like a dance as much as it is a fight.

Finally, the final reveal about Adeline and Red is awesome.  It was something that occurred to me as a possibility early on, but I dismissed it, so when it actually was what happened, I was very surprised.  It leaves you with a lot to think about and makes me want to watch the film again so I can look for clues about the twist.

What Sucks:

I have a few nitpicks with this film, but nothing too major.  Like I said above, not all of the comedy works.  Also, the backstory for the doppelgängers doesn't make a ton of sense and the film could have used more gore, but, again, nothing major.

Verdict:

Us was a fun, creepy, and entertaining film that had great lead characters and villains, an awesome score, funny moments, and an excellent twist.  There are a few minor problems here and there and I don't think it is as good as Get Out, but it's a worthy follow-up and Us has definitely got it going on.

 9/10: Great