Short Attention Span Review - Us (2019)
In the early stages, I found much to enjoy about Us. Jordan Peele's direction is a powerful strength, and I found the characters interesting and the performanves engaging. As Peele laid the foundation for this picture, I felt that I was venturing into masterpiece territory. He did wonders with the atmosphere, and the premise really had me. The score was a major attribute, and the cinematography was flawless. Unfortunately, the movie never really took off, and the more it stuttered and stumbled, the greater my frustration became. By the end, I just wasn't feeling Us at all, and despite a wicked little flourish right before the credits rolled, I have to chalk this one up as a loss. I deeply wish that the pacing would have been diffeent; the picture is maybe ten to twenty minutes too long, and works best in the second half of the runtime when it is committed to carnage. Unfortunately, it would pick up steam only to abandon that momentum, often at the expense of character logic. There were a couple of scenes where people sat around and talked when they should have been running or fighting for their lives. In a way, I felt that the movie reached a point where it should have descended into chaos by virtue of the premise, but the filmmakers preferred something akin to an intellectual high ground. I also wish there had been a bit more mystery. As Peele focused more and more on unraveling the sinister aspects of Us and building a mythology to support the premise, the film grew less potent and engaging. By the time all the cards had been shown, I felt the movie had basically collapsed--and filmmakers are not required to show all of their cards. To summarize, I really enjoyed the way Us began, and I do believe that a genuine showstopper could have been erected upon that foundation, but I can't say that I enjoyed Us as a whole.
Final Grade: D+
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| Creepy imagery abounds in Us, but a lethargic pace and an overwrought plot drag the proceedings down. |
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