This movie starts very strong and maintains good tension throughout the first two acts before exposition glut and commentary subsume the narrative. The sense of things being off-kilter and unsettling is established quickly to great effect, even prior to the visitation of mysterious unnerving doppelgängers. All the film's the performances across the board are exceptional, especially with the doppelgänger's nature demanding far more physical expression. There is more creepiness in the tilt of the head and a little girl’s smile than all the computer generated monstrosities unleashed this year. In these first two acts, there are horrific events unleashed often brilliantly offset with subversive comedy, the two blended seamlessly rather than detracting from either. US proves Peele is immensely talented behind the camera, and his use of color, framing and pacing are all gripping. The opening alone demonstrates how exquisitely Peele can establish and maintain atmosphere and tension, often feeling like its own funhouse ride. Peele is also a talented writer, but here this feels like both a boon and flaw. As Peele offers an origin and explanations to the events, the thrill fades in the face of dense allegorical commentary and confusing contemplation. Answers are entertaining and chock full of metaphor and meaning (YMMV), but diminish the terror and intensity of the horrors in favor of a more existential unease. The harder the movie engages on an intellectual level, major flaws in the story become apparent and things start to break down, even as the film is celebrating its own cleverness. The major twist can be predicted quite early, and the movie seems to be striving towards a major impactful image that comes off more ridiculous than terrifying. It feels the last act could have been jettisoned entirely in order to provide a far more streamlined and effective film. Unfortunately, this feels like 2/3rd a great horror film and the remainder a disjointed and distracting mess.
US