Us

US, 2019, 115 minutes, Colour.
Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss Tim Heidecker.
Directed by Jordan Peele.

There was a great deal anticipation for Us. It was not only horror fans who enjoyed Jordan Peele’s Get Out in 2017 (and it won an Oscar for best original screenplay), but also those who like serious drama with social overtones (and undertones). Perhaps it is inevitable that audiences will say that Us is not as good as…, But they will also probably admit that it is quite good in its own right.

How much of a clue is there in the title? Us or US? And, especially for American audiences, will they see the characters as Us – African-Americans?, white Americans? And, there are quite some complications that develop as to who really is the Us.

Jordan Peele’s early career was as a comedian and there are very many funny moments during this film, the wry remark, the offhand comment, silly/goofy situations, ironies. And sometimes they come quite unexpectedly, sometimes in the middle of a very tense moment (some audiences not wanting to be disturbed in their terror, others finding it an amusing relief for a moment). But, after writing and directing Get Out, peel has become more assured in his creating horror tales, horror situations.

He provides a lot of eerie background, focusing on the little girl, Adelaide, her jovial father, her wandering away from her parents at a fair where she resists the attractions, even the Ferris wheel, but does go into one of those haunted house kinds of shows (with a horading inviting visitors to find out who they are) where she experiences some terror, eerie sounds, unable to escape, halls of mirrors, and a reflection of herself as she watches (but from the back). Of course, in retrospect, this is extraordinarily important as is the puzzle by her parents about her behaviour after she had been lost for only 15 minutes.

Then it all becomes very cheery, 15 years or more later, Adelaide married to a friendly and humorous husband, Gabe (Winston Duke) and with two young children, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex). Adelaide is played by Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o. She offers a striking performance, a range of moods, loving wife, devoted mother, apprehensive mother – and that is only the beginning. Gabe decides that they will go on vacation and they will visit the beach and the boardwalk, where Adelaide first had her terror.

Lots of comedy with Gabe and his mismanagement of the boat that he buys. Then, on the beach, meeting up with friends, white friends, Kitty and Josh (Elizabeth Moss, again showing her versatility as an actress and Tim Heidecker). So far, so good.

However, this is where the horror begins and one might say goes on full pelt from there. The family sees a mysterious foursome, in red jumpsuits, standing in their driveway. And these mysterious characters are replicas of themselves, zombie overtones, giving the four members of the cast ample opportunity for diversity in their performances as one of the selves pursues the other self, murderously. And, when the family thinks they might have won and escape to visit Kitty and Josh, the same happens for them and their two daughters.

So, the tension revs up, many horror moments, gory moments, and the continual puzzle of who are these zombielike replicas.

Eventually, and piling on the horror atmosphere, there are explanations involving parallel worlds or, rather, an underworld in American tunnels with the clones out of control, resenting their parallel characters above. So, testing our responses to class issues, race issues, American underclass and resentments.

Eventual confrontations in the film might have ended there – but, there is a long explanation speech which troubles our understanding. It makes us leave the cinema trying to work out what actually happened (although we see this) and how credible it is and what are the consequences. Which means then that Us remains with the audience well after the final credits. Probably means we should see it again.

1. The title? Us and US United States?

2. The director, his success with Get Out? Expectations? His background in comedy? The blending of comedy and horror?

3. Horror, but allegorical? The underground world, repressed, parallel world, bizarre behaviour, mimicking the upper world, the underworld resentments? Class race issues? War and an uprising – in the era of Donald Trump and his supporters rising up?

4. The prologue, Adelaide as a little girl, her relationship with her parents, at the fair, the father and his enthusiasm, shooting, the prize? Her mother leaving her for the moment, her wandering, the boardwalk, the shows, the sideshow inviting audiences to come to find out who they are? Her going inside, the devices for fright, the increasing noise, the hall of mirrors? Her seeking the exit, her seeing her double, from the back?

5. The aftermath, listening to her parents discussing her being missing, her not talking? 15 minutes? This episode in the light of the final revelations?

6. Adelaide, adult, marriage and family, her relationship with Gabriel? Gabriel Is Genial, the children, their verve? Their lifestyle, middle-class? Going for a holiday, the holiday house, going to the beach, Adelaide wary about the boardwalk and her memories? The trip, bonding?

7. At the beach, Jason wandering off, Adelaide’s concern, searching for him? Her sense of tension?

8. With Kitty and Josh? The visits, the meals? At the beach, their daughters? The screenplay bringing in white characters?

9. Adelaide, wanting to go home? The tension, the appearance of the doppelgängers, in the dark, outside the house, wearing red? Sinister?

10. The consequences of the visit, the family going outside the house, the buildup of the conflict, each member of the family with the doppelgänger, the frightening double, Gabriel, the fight, wanting to get to the boat? Zora and the conflict? Jason, wearing his mask, his being taken? Adelaide and the more elaborate fight with her double, Red?

11. The destruction, the family in their victory, hurrying to the house for Kitty and Josh?

12. The doppelgängers for Kitty and Josh, the menace, the fights, the deaths of the daughters? The family wanting to take refuge, the further attacks? Kitty, her seeming death, rising again?

13. The pursuit, the discovery of the alternate world, the introduction to the film and the explanation of the nature of tunnels under the United States? Jason as captive? Adelaide pursuing her son, the confrontation with Red? Red and the extensive explanation of what had happened?

14. The future, the doubles rising up, the consequences for the humans?

15. With the twist at the end, the reinterpretation of Adelaide really as Red, Red as Adelaide, battles, explanations?

16. The film seen as an allegory of contemporary America, race and class, members of society oppressed, rising up?