Is Us Worth A Second Look?

Jordan Peele’s debut film, Get Out, delivered a psychological horror film-with a heavy dose of satire-that became a commercial and critical success. His second outing, Us, was successful by both metrics, yet suffered by the unavoidable comparisons to it’s predecessor. Now that Us has received it’s home release, it’s worth asking: does Us deserve a second look? 

The film starts with a flashback to 1986, including a hilarious commercial for the very real “Hands Across America” charity event. We see Adelaide and her family at a carnival on the beach. Adelaide wanders off, then experiences a mysterious trauma inside of an empty carnival attraction. Fast forward to the present day, and Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o), is traveling to a family vacation home with husband Gabe (Winston Duke), daughter Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph), and son Jason (Evan Alex). 

Hints of that 80’s era trauma abound as their vacation begins, and Adelaide’s fears seem realized when a mysterious family of four shows up at their home. That begins our introduction to the Tethered, doppelgängers of each family member who have come to “untether” themselves. 

From there begins a somewhat typical “home invasion” style thriller. It’s not until the third act that the action deviates from the standard “kill or be killed” tropes. The film is suspenseful and bloody and delivers much of what you’d want from a horror film. The ending gives us several twists that were supposed to be big surprises, but in reality were pretty predictable. Predictable twists aside, Us still gives you plenty to talk about-and think-about long after it’s over. 

So with all of that said, should you pick up a copy of Us for your next home movie night? Yes. Peele delivered a film that, while not perfect, was full of little moments that can only be fully appreciated once you know where the movie is headed. And if you like to take a deep dive into those movies that give you more questions than answers? The bonus features have you covered. Us is available now on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD. 

(Warning, mild spoilers below.)

Home Release Bonus Features (will vary by format):

• Scene Explorations – The making of three iconic scenes from the film including the Tyler house massacre, Jason’s abduction and Adelaide’s underground flashback
• Seven Second Massacre
• It’s a Trap
• I Just Want My Little Girl Back
• The Duality of US – Jordan Peele goes in-depth on some of the key themes and imagery in US–including Doppelgängers, Hands Across America, The Nutcracker dance scene, rabbits and the infamous 11:11 coincidence.
• The Monsters Within US – Examine how the great cast were able to find their characters, whether they were playing one of the Wilsons or their sinister doppelgängers.
• Tethered Together: Making US Twice – Making of a movie is hard. Making a movie where all the main cast play dual roles can be downright mind-bending. In this piece, filmmakers, cast, and crew discuss some of the technical challenges to making the film, as well as some of the design choices for the characters.
• Redefining a Genre: Jordan Peele’s Brand of Horror – In the space of two films, Jordan Peele has set himself apart as an invaluable artistic voice. Hear cast and filmmakers highlight what makes him so unique, as well as Jordan’s own thoughts on his inspirations and the relationship between horror and comedy.
• Becoming Red – Using behind-the-scenes footage from between takes, we take a closer look at Lupita Nyong’o’s intense and mesmerizing performance as “Red.”
• Deleted Scenes
  • I Am Not Even Near You
  • Rabbit Season
  • That’s Badass
  • Driftwood
  • The P is Silent
  • I Wanna Go Home
  • We’re All Dying – Hilarious outtakes from the conversation between Winston Duke and Tim Heidecker on the beach.
  • As Above, So Below: Grand Pas de Deux – An extended version of the dance sequence from the film, cutting between adolescent Adelaide at her recital to Red in the Underpass.