Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out, which is widely considered to be one of the best films of 2017, traverses similar territory in a highly stylized fashion. Us is, on the surface, a horror film about a family who goes on vacation to find that they’re being pursued by their own doppelgangers. At the heart of the plot is Adelaide Wilson (Lupita Nyong’o), who is hesitant to return to Santa Cruz after experiencing a traumatic event at the beach in her childhood. Now an adult, she tries to protect her children (Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex) and husband (Winston Duke) from the horrors that only she can see.
When confronted with her doppelganger – named Red for the red jumpsuit she and the others wear – Adelaide recalls memories from her childhood, like watching a Hands Across America commercial and becoming a dancer. While the Wilsons attempt to outrun and outsmart Red, the subplot begins to unfold and overtake the high-stakes thriller that lures audiences into what is actually a clever political drama.
While the message becomes clearer and clearer as the story progresses, viewers can enjoy the suspense, drama, and cinematic wonder of the film from beginning to end. Here are eighteen unsettling stills from this aesthetically pleasing horror film.
