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2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Yesterday (2019): Goofy Charm with Rushed Plotting

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Some people say that if they could time travel, they’d go back to buy stock in Amazon or Google. For a musician, the equivalent might be playing songs before they were ever written and in Yesterday a struggling singer gets that chance. Jack (Himesh Patel; EastEnders) is a singer-songwriter who has never been able to get a record deal or write a hit song. After a particularly bad show, he decides to quit forever and bikes home only to be hit by a bus home during a freak global blackout. When he comes to, he realizes that no one has heard of The Beatles and takes the opportunity to pass off their music as his own.

While Yesterday presents an alternate timeline, that isn’t its focus. The film touches on a few trickle down effects of a world without The Beatles, like certain other bands never existing, and gets several laughs out of Jack frantically googling things only to realize they don’t exist, but it makes best use of the premise with the world’s casual indifference towards music that we now consider legendary. As Jack tries to play “Let it Be” for his family, his father keeps disrupting him, the neighbor stops by, and his mom can’t quite remember the name. There are also several jokes about the stranger titles of Beatles songs and albums and how no modern market research would ever allow such poor branding. Despite all these touches, at its heart, Yesterday is a romantic comedy.

Ellie (Lily James; Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) is Jack’s manager, roadie, biggest supporter, and clearly has unrequited feelings for him. Other characters point out their unusual relationship, but its importance never reaches Jack until he starts traveling. The arc of their relationship is nothing new, but it’s nevertheless enjoyable.

Ed Sheeran is hilarious as he pokes fun at himself.

The film was written by Richard Curtis (Notting Hill) and it shows in every detail. The characters have the same likable, goofy, slightly off-beat charm he is known for and there is plenty of humor. Jack’s roadie, Rocky (Joel Fry; 10,000 BC), might as well be the roommate from Notting Hill with all his social faux pas and well-meaning failures. The film’s biggest surprise is singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Sheeran who, playing himself, acts as Jack’s mentor and is hilarious in the self-satire as he gives Jack bad advice on how to succeed in the music industry. Curtis’s humor and charm are the film’s main draws.

While Curtis may have the greatest creative imprint, Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) is still the director. This is notably lighter fare than his usual work, but Boyle does an admirable job with the material. There are several oblique angles and a more kinetic energy to the camera movements. The story does however seem noticeably rushed. The major character changes from the second and third acts happen at a pace too quick to be believable and characters make decisions that are implausible in order for the story to reach its desired conclusion. It isn’t revolutionary and has some plot issues, but Yesterday has a unique premise and plenty of endearing characters and good-natured humor to make up for it.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Midsommar (2019): Striking Vision, Lackluster Narrative

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Dani (Florence Pugh; Lady Macbeth) is a young woman in a rocky relationship with her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor; Sing Street) when tragedy strikes. Her world is changed and Christian’s plan to break up with her is suspended in the midst of her suffering. Unable to say to no to her, Christian invites Dani to join him on a trip to his classmate’s hometown in Sweden to observe their traditional midsummer festival, a trip that he had initially planned without her. The celebration proves to be something far beyond what they could have ever expected.

The most striking difference between Midsommar and its peers is its visuals. Horror movies, in general, take place in the dark, the shadows, or otherwise obfuscated areas relying on the potential unseen to create fear. Director Ari Aster (Hereditary) has instead created a sun-drenched, idyllic landscape. The commune is in a lush area with brightly colored buildings that, on the surface, appear welcoming. The residents happily greet their visitors, but the picturesque setting quickly begins to raise alarm. The film’s atmosphere becomes uncomfortable as things are too perfect and the bright setting appears to hide a much darker truth underneath.

Aster displays incredible talent, but doesn’t sustain it throughout the movie. There are innovative scene transitions that seamlessly move viewers from one location to the next and a great use of tension early on. The initial event that changes Dani’s life is presented so subtly that the reveal is horrifying is its simple, but grisly details. He is a director that has a knack for letting the audience know that something is wrong, even when everything appears normal. However, this effect lessens as the film progresses. Aster is able to create mystery and discomfort when the characters and settings are unfamiliar, but can’t maintain the atmosphere for the film’s runtime.

The sunny grasslands are still an uncomfortable setting.

Pugh again proves herself to be an incredible actress. As Dani she is depressed, anxious, and eager to please with a growing distrust of her boyfriend and their relationship. Pugh makes Dani’s manic behavior believable and, while often irrational, she still engenders sympathy given circumstances. Her character arch is similar to Charlotte Gainsbourg’s character in Melancholia. She is initially the “crazy” one, but as their situation becomes increasingly bizarre, she seems the most at home. Her neediness and the fragile nature of her relationship with Christian deserves particular praise. Pugh’s performance captures Dani’s desperation for companionship, even with her suspicion that their relationship is nearing its end.

Like Hereditary, the film’s atmosphere isn’t able to make up for its narrative. As Midsommar continues and the true nature of the festival and the community are revealed, the film loses most of its appeal. These story beats are strange, but mostly elaborate on the nefarious nature of the cult in ways that aren’t particularly original or interesting. There some disturbing decisions made, but at that point the characters have become so far removed from reality with their acceptance of some of the shocking traditions that there is little connection or emotional impact to their outcomes. It has an incredible setting and a striking vision, but they aren’t enough to overcome Midsommar’s narrative problems.

2/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

The Art of Self-Defense (2019): The Anti-Fight Club

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Casey (Jesse Eisenberg; The Social Network) is an awkward, lonely accountant that lives his life without much companionship other than his Dachshund. On a quick trip to the grocery store to buy dog food one night, he is brutally assaulted by a gang of motorcycle-riding muggers and is left in the hospital for days. Now petrified of the world, he stumbles upon a karate class and is wowed by their physicality. He quickly joins and devotes himself to the teachings of his Sensei (Alessandro Nivola; Face/Off).

After initially claiming he joined for “health and fitness reasons”, Casey confesses “I’m afraid of other men”. He feels weak, powerless, and is hyper-aware of his lack of masculinity. Characters, Casey included, comment on how he has a feminine name. Karate becomes his way to change his identity and “become the thing he fears”. To make this possible, Sensei tells him to change every aspect of his personality. He starts listening to metal and alters other superficial aspects of his life to “commit” to his goal.

Director Riley Stearns (Faults) uses this transformation to critique cultural norms. Sensei’s advice is narrow, ridiculous, and often results in aberrant behavior as Casey moves beyond assertive to aggressive responses. Eisenberg delivers the controlled performance that is perfect for the material. When he becomes “Masculine Casey” he still carries the awkward mannerisms of his original self, but overcompensates with the aggressive language and body movements of someone forcing themselves to do something they are completely uncomfortable with.

Eisenberg’s nervous energy is the exactly right fit for playing Casey and is his best role since The Social Network.

Stearns is able to balance this critique with frequent moments of levity. The film can be depressing as Casey struggles with his confidence when he is insulted and taken advantage of by others, but it also points out how society’s expectations of men shouldn’t be considered normal. This is especially true when they try to explain themselves. Sensei speaks of his dojo’s traditions with complete seriousness and in the same breath talks about replacement fees for karate belts.

This balance is held together by an incredibly tight script. The film’s plot has several reveals that will leave viewers shocked but still follow a logical progression. Stearns weaves in subtle hints at where the story is headed throughout the film. Every single aspect of the narrative, from the rules on the dojo walls to Casey’s perceived femininity is essential to the plot and Stearns deserves enormous praise for creating a script that is at once dense with details and completely devoid of filler.

The Art of Self-Defense is essentially the anti-Fight Club. Fight Club centered on a similarly weak main character that changes into something else under the influence of a stereotypically masculine figure. The tragedy of that film, while flawlessly executed by director David Fincher, is that the majority of viewers not only missed the point of the film, they completely misinterpreted it. Many left believing the film was in favor of Tyler Durden and his anarchic beliefs because of Fincher’s slick style and Brad Pitt’s charismatic performance, despite the opposite being the case. Stearns leaves no room for this same misinterpretation. Violence is depicted as savage and unnecessary rather than cathartic and the “manly” characters are shown for their own absurdity and used for humor or just as pitiful beings. The Art of Self-Defense is a morbidly funny, tightly crafted, skewering of the hypocrisy of traditional masculinity and an strong entry into Stearns’s growing filmography.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

In the Aisles (2019): Life and Love in a Supermarket

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With books, we’re told to read between the lines, but when it comes to stores, it seems we need to look In the Aisles. Christian (Franz Rogowski; Transit) is a new hire at a large retailer. He is an extremely taciturn man, but a hard worker under the guidance of his assigned manager Bruno (Peter Kurth; A Heavy Heart). Soon after starting he encounters Marion (Sandra Hüller; Toni Erdmann), an employee in a different aisle, and develops feelings for her.

Director Thomas Stuber (Teenage Angst) immediately establishes the film’s most important character: the supermarket. The store is an enormous warehouse club and the camerawork always emphasizes its incredible size. The film’s opening shows the store’s night shift work and is set to the Blue Danube waltz, recalling the space stations from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Like outer space in 2001, the towering shelves and expansive aisles are a great unknown that the employees navigate in coordinated routines that are almost dance-like. Since Christian is on the night shift, the store is usually dimly lit, giving it a more bleak look than the overly bright areas shoppers are accustomed to.

There is a resigned hopelessness that hangs over the film. The characters shown aren’t upwardly mobile people trying to better themselves. They appear to be employees that follow the routine of their unglamorous jobs and have no plans to change. They aren’t ecstatic about their jobs, but they aren’t unhappy either. It’s more of a quiet acceptance that things will neither improve nor deteriorate and that their current stations in life are inescapable. This gives the atmosphere an oppressive quality, but there are still moments of modest joy.

Bruno’s affection for Christian is subtle, but sincere.

The store staff genuinely care for each other. They have long histories like family and have respect for each other. Bruno, as Christian’s boss and mentor, is a paternal figure that looks out for Christian and gently encourages him as he struggles with some of his tasks. The group celebrates together in holiday parties and suffers together in unfortunate circumstances. The permanence of their jobs means their connections are deep and closer to relatives than mere coworkers.

The relationship between Christian and Marion is only one part of Stuber’s focus. Christian’s inarticulate manners and his reserved demeanor are in stark contrast to Marion’s relative liveliness and his kind, subdued gestures towards her make for an endearing sight. While the film initially seems to be centered on their romance, it slowly reveals itself to be about the people of the store and what it means to them. Their jobs are mundane, repetitive, and don’t afford them any kind of lavish lifestyle, but it offers stability. The store’s familiarity brings solace and belonging to its staff, most of whom have little else outside of work. During the holidays, Christian lays in bed waiting for the store to reopen. Many will find the setting and characters banal and dreary and be put off by the film’s unhurried tempo, but there is a humble poignance to the characters’ lives. Stuber has captured a microcosm of souls locked in a monotonous, but sustainable existence. It may not be much, but the store and the routines and community that come with it provide enough simple meaning to their endure ordinary lives.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019): Pokémon Noir

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The first live-action feature based on the mega-franchise Pokémon is also the best video game adaptation to date, not that it had a lot of competition. Tim (Justice Smith; Paper Towns) comes to Rime City to collect the belongings of his estranged father that recently passed away. In his father’s apartment, he finds a Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds; Deadpool) searching through documents and discovers that it can talk and that he can understand it. The Pikachu has lost its memory but wears a Sherlock Holmes-esque deerstalker hat with Tim’s father’s address written on the inside. He believes that there is a coverup and teams with Tim to solve the mystery.

For a series targeted at children, Rime City is an unexpected location. Unlike the mostly clean, often idyllic towns of the anime, Rime City is a bustling metropolis. It’s a grimy, overpopulated place closer to the city from Blade Runner than anything else. It’s a city with underground fighting rings , secret labs, and corruption. One key difference is that it does not have Pokémon trainers in the traditional sense. Normally, characters catch and train Pokémon in order to fight them in battles against other Pokémon to win tournaments. Rime City is noted as a city where there is “harmony between humans and Pokémon” so instead of owning several Pokémon, each human appears to have a single Pokémon partner. This is a clever decision by the writers because it allows the city to feel dangerous, but neatly sidesteps any potential resemblance between Pokémon battles and animal fights that could cause controversy due to the realistic renderings.

The creature designs are incredibly detailed. Bringing the cartoon animals to life was no small task and the effects team has done a phenomenal job of making them feel realistic. The Pokémon are rendered with texture which is alarming at first, but it acclimates quickly. Psyduck has fur that gets tussled, Bulbasaur has slimy frog-like skin, and even Pokémon that don’t resemble animals, like Mr. Mime, have slight wrinkles to them. It makes these strange creatures tangible, but without betraying their original, iconic designs, unlike the recent Sonic the Hedgehog movie.

This isn’t in the actual movie, but it’s a great indication of the quality of animation on display.

With Pikachu, the effects team has taken this to another level. Pikachu is the only Pokémon in the film that talks and his animation is stellar. The way his fur moves and his fat jiggles as he runs is lifelike and they’ve taken special care in his facial animations. Using motion capture, Reynolds’s slightest expressions are mapped onto Pikachu’s face and it imbues him with Reynolds’s trademark sarcastic wit. He still sounds like Deadpool, but at no point in the film does he feel like a cartoon. Pikachu has all the charisma and physicality of a living, breathing character, while still being an adorable little furball.

The question then becomes “is this only for Pokémon fans?” and the answer is not quite. A tangential knowledge of a few main Pokémon like Pikachu is all that’s needed. The main plot resembles a standard film noir. Having watched the anime or played the games is beneficial but not necessary. The film mostly features the original 151 Pokémon so older fans that haven’t kept up with the franchise will be right at home. That being said, fans will gain so much more from the film. Most scenes contain references to Pokémon lore that knowledgeable viewers will eat up. Background elements like a Machamp using its four arms to redirect traffic around a sleeping Snorlax are amazing and it’s a joy to watch the believable way Pokémon interact and work with humans. The narrative itself is by no means special, but Reynolds’s performance as Pikachu and the thoughtful depiction of Pokémon-human interactions make this a worthy adaptation.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Photograph (2019): Slight, but Affecting Romance

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After the disappointment that was Our Souls at Night, it’s great to see director Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox) make a return to form and a return home to Mumbai. Rafi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui; The Lunchbox) works as a photographer selling instant photos to tourists at the Gateway of India. He has a chance encounter with a young woman, Miloni (Sanya Malhotra; Dangal), who absentmindedly walks off before paying him for the photograph. As a man approaching middle age, Rafi is being pressured by his grandmother (Farrukh Jaffar; Swades) to get married. To appease her and hopefully put an end to her nagging, he sends her the photograph of Miloni, claiming that she is his girlfriend. Of course, this backfires when his grandmother immediately decides to visit to meet her and Rafi has to ask Miloni to pretend to be his girlfriend until she leaves.

There’s nothing surprising about where the plot goes, but the journey is still enjoyable. As Rafi and Miloni spend time together and learn more about each other as part of the ruse, they gradually become closer. Miloni is younger and grew up in a upper-class urban family so she finds Rafi’s village background to be a fascinating escape. In a culture where public displays of physical affection are rare, their progression is slow, but noticeable in the extra time they spend together. Batra mines these unspoken feelings for subtle, but palpable romantic longing.

It’s this gentle approach to storytelling that has defined Batra’s directing style. His characters speak in soft voices, always too polite to fully express themselves, and their reluctance to act on their desires makes them all the more likable. His style owes a great debt to the films of Wong Kar-Wai, but there is an importance difference. Wong’s films tend to come from a place of melancholy. His characters were in doomed romances destined to end before they ever truly begin. With Batra, there are hope and genuine warmth behind his lens.

Jaffar’s nagging is unexpected source of humor.

Siddiqui and Malhotra make an endearing main couple, but it is Jaffar that steals the show. Despite being an elderly woman, Jaffar is clearly in command. She is the stern matriarch that always has advice and criticisms to offer, whether or not her grandson wants to hear it. Her constant admonishment and unnecessarily loud speaking voice will give anyone who has had to deal with controlling relatives shivers. Yet, her inclusion adds a tragic nature to the romance. She wants the best for her grandson before she passes away but the joy she feels upon seeing Rafi and Miloni together also carries the heavy guilt that the relationship is an act. Her character brings some much needed energy and provides an additional wrinkle to their could-be pairing.

When the film comes to a close, some may be left unsatisfied. There is a stopping point rather than a traditional conclusion. Batra has his characters explicitly address why he felt conventional closure was unnecessary, but many will still find the ending too hasty. Batra has executed on his signature brand of romantic longing, but given the predictable plot and abrupt conclusion, Photograph is a successful, but minor work.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Long Day’s Journey Into Night (2019): A Dreamy and Mesmerizing Feat

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There are movies that you try to piece together and there are movies that you give yourself over to. Long Day’s Journey Into Night is the latter. The film initially presents itself in the vein of a film noir. Luo Hongwu (Hang Jue), a middle aged man, returns to his hometown to look for a former lover (Tang Wei; Lust, Caution) who has never left his thoughts. But director Bi Gan (Kaili Blues) is not a traditional storyteller. He is more interested in Luo’s memories and emotions than anything else.

Anyone looking for an explicit narrative will be disappointed. As Luo looks for his former lover, the film constantly jumps around in the timeline. Establishing a chronology can be difficult outside of Luo’s graying hair and the narrative may leave some viewers perplexed. It has the unfortunate side effect of making the central relationship difficult to understand, but the structure is dictated by Luo’s state of mind. As a man searching for a connection to his past, the scenes play out like fragments of his memory triggered during his pursuit.

The dreamlike tone is accentuated throughout. Much of the film is shot at night with wet, reflective surfaces all around, establishing an ethereal atmosphere. Bi relies on the hushed tones of Luo’s voiceover rather than dialogue. His inner thoughts are poetic ruminations on memory and are a unique blend of Wong Kar-Wai, Terrence Malick, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul along with Bi’s own brand of introspection. It may test the patience of some, but the film’s deliberate pacing and mood are essential to its themes.

All of Bi’s framings have a pensive quality to them.

There’s been a lot of hype surrounding the film’s 1 hour long take and I’m pleased to say it deserves every bit of praise it has received. Long Day’s Journey Into Night is not a 3D film, as an opening title card states, but when Luo visits a local movie theater he puts on a pair of 3D glasses and the audience does as well. The following long take is nothing short of astounding. Bi orchestrates an extended sequence of mind-boggling complexity, recalling and even surpassing many famous long takes like the opening of Touch of Evil. The camera follows characters on vehicle, down a zipline, soars over a town center, and into many buildings. There are several actions during the take that would be perilous to completing the shot, like precise plays during a game of pool, and at some point it becomes the cinematic equivalent of watching a high-stakes tightrope walk.

That’s not to say that Bi uses his long shot as a gimmick. It’s an immersive, surreal experience, essentially a lucid dream. The camera floats around the events, observing from nearby in an almost out-of-body experience, like the roaming camerawork from Enter the Void. It further demonstrates the director’s enormous talent and serves as a fitting coda to a feature that has little interest in explicit plot. Bi ends his film with this astounding sequence that emphasizes the enveloping nature our subjective memory and the lasting impact it can create long after events have transpired. It’s an awe-inspiring feat that will mesmerize viewers willing to accept it on its own terms.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019): Action Overload

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John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is proof that you can have too much of a good thing. This unexpected franchise, directed by former stuntman Chad Stahelski, has only grown in popularity with each subsequent entry. Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) plays the legendary hitman forced out of retirement. At the end of the previous film, he had broken the sacred rule of the Continental, the hotel for criminal underworld, by killing on its property. Because of his violation, a $14 million dollar bounty is placed on his head and every assassin in New York City is looking to claim the prize.

The world-building from the previous films has lost a lot of its appeal. In the first film, the secret underground world of assassins was intriguing. It wasn’t explicitly told, but could be inferred through the special currency, rules, and services offered. While obviously an unreal premise, it had enough subtlety to be somewhat believable as an unknown territory, just beyond the reaches of civilization. In the second film, the reach of this network was revealed to be larger than expected, but in the latest entry the writers have taken it to the extreme. When Wick runs on the streets of New York, heads turn in recognition. When he jumps into a random cab, the driver is aware of the Continental and addresses him by name. The expansive reach of this supposedly hidden society begs the question: who isn’t an assassin or connected to their society? The world-building was never meant to be truly realistic, but its omnipresence robs it of its mystique and often seems silly with how many different people are apparently involved.

Halle Berry co-stars as another dog-loving assassin.

The action, as before, is stellar. Fights are staged from a distance, allowing for full view of the combat without the confusion of over-editing or shaky cam. The scale of the set pieces has been taken up a level. In order to outdo their previous work, Stahelski and company use more high-stakes vehicular combat, like an impressive motorcycle fight, group fights, and settings that allow for a variety of kills. One such fight takes place within a store that sells exotic guns and knives leading to a plethora of unique ways to end someone. Reeves is as up to the action as ever. He appears slightly heavier and even more beleaguered as he runs with a limp and lands blows more messily than before. Wick is still a headshot machine and decimates opposing forces with precision aiming anytime a gun is in his hand.

Despite all these objectively positive aspects about Parabellum’s production, the unending stream of action takes its toll. The first film was praised for its stripped down narrative, but by the third entry the onslaught of violence has become exhausting. There is only so much action that a viewer can take before becoming indifferent. Without an additional wrinkle to his motivation, beyond fighting his way through the criminal underground again, the fights progressively lose their impact. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is exactly the barrage of non-stop violence it seeks to be, but crosses over into an exhausting action overload.

3/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Dragged Across Concrete (2019): Quiet, Tense, and Detailed

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With Dragged Across Concrete, S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomehawk) wades into precarious subject matter. Fortunately, he has the talent to handle it with the gravitas it deserves. The film is split between two storylines. The first centers on two cops, Brett (Mel Gibson; Mad Max) and Anthony (Vince Vaughn; Brawl in Cell Block 99), that are put on administrative leave after a video of them “using too much brass” while arresting a drug dealer surfaces online. The second story follows two friends, Henry (Tory Kittles; Colony) and Biscuit (Michael Jai White; Black Dynamite), as they assist in a bank heist.

This is a movie that takes its time. The film runs nearly 2 hours 40 minutes yet doesn’t feel overlong. Zahler uses the runtime to invest in his characters. Where most directors would show Brett and Anthony on a single stakeout before the climactic action, Zahler chooses to show several. His screenplay exists in this repetition. He knows that it is these routines that allow viewers to understand how characters behave and how they relate to one another. He is also willing to spend significant screentime setting up a character and their motivations only to have them killed 15 minutes later because it give the violence impact. The attention to detail in how these characters live and what motivates them makes every minute engaging and every consequence significant.

Gibson and Vaughn have the natural chemistry of longtime partners.

For a film about police brutality, it isn’t as gruesome as the title suggests. The violence takes a step down compared to Zahler’s previous work and it’s a smart decision. Unlike his prior two films, this title is about an extremely sensitive topic that is affecting many Americans. There are moments where Brett and Anthony intimidate and rough up their suspects, but they are neither glorified nor condemned. The arrest that causes the police officers to get suspended is not nearly as violent as much of the real-life cell phone footage that circulates online. When they are called in to their chief’s office to discuss the incident, they plead their case. How can an entire career be judged on a 30 second video? Why is it that the impact of the drug dealer – and the impact of his arrest and actions allowed by the information he divulged – not a part of the discussion? Both of these are valid points and are expressed earnestly, although some of the lines appear to be not-so-subtle references to Gibson’s own history with audio recordings made public. In the case presented onscreen, they are questioning a man that is definitively guilty, but the film does not explore the ramifications of using the same level of force on an innocent man which is an important piece of the puzzle that is missing, but not to the detriment of the overall film.

Zahler applies the same attitude to the crimes committed by Henry and Biscuit. They each explain why they are resorting to theft and the film never judges them for it. This incredibly even-handed approach pays off immensely. It allows Zahler to tackle difficult and current subject matter without the flagrant messaging of a Spike Lee movie. If Zahler has any bias, it is towards his characters. They are written and portrayed with deep empathy for their situations and the actions they take given their limited choices. For a filmmaker known for genre films and excessive violence, Zahler has constructed a slow-burn procedural with a genuine compassion for its characters, regardless of their actions.

4/5 stars.

2019, Recent Reviews, Reviews

Us (2019): Double Trouble

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Us is the story of a vacationing family that is visited by unwanted guests. Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and Winston Duke (Black Panther) play the Wilsons, a couple with two children going on a trip to their beach house in Northern California. One night, four masked strangers stand in front of their home. The people closely resemble each of the Wilsons and begin a murderous rampage as they attempt to kill their doubles. These intruders are known as the Tethered and the Wilsons have to escape and find out who these strange people are and why there are being attacked. The film is the second title from comedian-turned-director Jordan Peele (Get Out) and another entry into his particular brand of horror.

Peele tones down the social commentary in Us. His previous topic of race relations is barely touched upon and instead he focuses on wealth inequality. The demented doppelgangers are the have-nots to the main family’s haves and the disparity between their upbringings is mentioned in a monologue, but it never becomes the central theme.

For most of its runtime, Us is a slasher film. The initial encounter with the shadows is a great moment of tension. Peele weaves his camera through the hallways as the family frantically closes open windows and the other family invades with an relentless dedication reminiscent of a Terminator. Peele is not able to sustain this level of tension throughout the film. After the villains have been introduced and have explained their backgrounds, they lose their mystery and with it their menace. They still pose a clear physical threat to the main cast, but no longer have the fear of the unknown to accentuate their actions.

Nyong’o and the kids deliver great performances in their dual roles.

Horror films are rarely known for their logic, but Peele still makes an unsuccessful attempt. During an initial confrontation, the Tethered explain who they are and why they are hunting down the main cast. This proves to be a fatal mistake as the explanation raises several questions that reveal plot holes. Typically, it’s best not to think too critically about the mechanics of a horror villain, as was the case with Get Out, but Peele forces these issues into the limelight. As is the case with most horror films, the Tethered’s origins may have been more effective if only suggested rather than explicitly told.

Without consistent tension or an interesting social angle, Us is a step-down from Get Out. Get Out also had issues maintaining tension, but the commentary on racial prejudices provided enough substance to compensate. Peele is still a talented filmmaker though. He elegantly foreshadows later plot elements, even providing an early hint at the Tethered’s origins for genre film fans, and gets great performances out of actors. Nyong’o and the children are standouts playing both their regular selves and the Tethered. Duke, as the goofy dad, isn’t at the same level but does provide a good source of humor. Peele has the rare talent of being able to weave humor into a horror film without feeling unnatural and it continues to be his greatest strength has a director. Us doesn’t have the tension or narrative foundation needed to thrill, but Peele’s talents provide do some bright spots.

3/5 stars.