It's one of the grimmest takes on the age-old theme of the double or döppelganger -- here, one's replacements stand, zombie-like, at the edge of one's driveway, waiting for their moment, baseball-bats in hand. But it begins, as do so many tales of doubling, with a single uncanny moment, when Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) encounters her double in (where else?) a house of mirrors at a carnival. The mirrors provide an apt scene, but also introduce the critical element of doubt: could it all just be in her head?
We fast-forward to adult Adelaide, still haunted by this childhood trauma, on vacation with friends. She's still cautious about large public places, and the beach is no resort for her, especially after she catches a glimpse of a man on a stretcher carried by paramedics, and -- soon after -- a seeming double of that man, bloodied and strange.
And then the fun begins: the lurking menacing mute gathering of the döppelgangers, a little closer to home in each shot. When they come, their resemblance becomes still creepier; we see them mimic the actions of their 'originals,' but in a weirdly clumsy manner. Then the killing begins.
We learn that these doubles are the "tethered" -- creatures linked to those they so resemble, and seeking to free themselves by killing the originals and severing the ropes that tie them to them. It's a strange sort of linkage in which -- at least in one sense -- their murderous rampages are almost a cry for freedom. Adelaide, of course, is the only one who really understands all this, and it's her struggle -- and her final battle with her own tethered replicant -- that brings the film around to its final denouement.
So what does Us add to the long tradition of doubles? Are its concept of the "tethered" and its "science experiment" explanation any different from the usual suspects? And is its ending somehow creepier or more meaningful than that of earlier such tales? And do you sense the political undertones of this film, perhaps agreeing with Jordan Peele that, untimately, "all horror films are political"? (see his interviews here and here).
Your thoughts here.
After watching the film and the interviews with Jordan Peele, I do not really think all horror movies are political. I think horror movies are for people to watch to get a good scare and be entertained by the events in the films. But with Jordan’s film, I would say it is political. He mentions in the interview with Yahoo, about the idea of the outsider, and how people were afraid of people that are different from themselves, and I feel like it relates to how we view others. There were some similarities with the tethered like the man’s shadow in Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Shadow.” The Shadow was connected to the man, same with the tethered being connected to their above ground counterparts. The tethered wanted to take their counterparts place, which is what happened in “The Shadow” where the man's shadow kills the man and takes over his life. The doppelgangers want to be their own person and not feel like they are connected to someone else and live their own lives.
ReplyDelete-Jessyca Iswanto
After watching the film and the interviews, I believe that all movies have a point to be made, themes, etc, but they are not all political. Movies give the viewer something that they can relate to and in some cases picking at social and political issues is more than enough to keep a viewer interested. Peele's movies have an obvious political point and he does a great job at bringing that across. The film overall, like his past works, was highly detailed with symbolism and self interpretations. This movie was not just entertaining but really makes you think about contemporary socials issues and the human psyche.
ReplyDelete- Garet Reilly
At a boardwalk, young Adelaide gets lost from her parents and enters a funhouse, where she runs into a mirror image of herself. 33 years later, a grown-up Adelaide reluctantly departs for a trip with her husband, and kids. At the beach, they run into their friends along with their twin daughters. They see paramedics transporting an elderly holding a sign that matches the one Adelaide saw the day of the doppelgänger encounter. Later, Jason notices a man standing still that remarkably resembles the elderly man. When the lights abruptly go out that night, Adelaide tells Gabe the tale of the doppelgänger. A family of four that Jason sees in the driveway enters the home and surrounds the Wilsons. The intruders are identical twins of the Wilsons. The only double who can speak is Red, Adelaide's double. They are known as "the Tethered," according to Red, because they have a soul in common with their counterparts and have come to "untether" themselves. The Wilson family is split up, and their doppelgängers terrorize them.
ReplyDeleteI personally hate scary movies, so this was a tough movie for me to get through. I don’t know if it’s because I was reluctant to watch it but it left me with a lot of questions on why and how. Although it's been said that the doubles don't have souls, I don't believe that this movie is just solely based on everyone’s dark side. Instead, the darkness is what we decide to ignore. But it probably involves more than just that.
- Katherine Arthurs
Four members of the Wilson family travel to Santa Cruz, California, for a vacation. Their journey takes a terrible turn when they encounter a bunch of doppelgangers who are identical to them but evil and out to get them. Against these nefarious rivals, the family must struggle to survive.
ReplyDeleteThe movie "Us" explores identity issues, focusing on how people view themselves and how society shapes individuals. The doppelgangers stand for a damaged sense of identity and the battle to balance one's genuine self with social expectations. The film also taps into the fear of the "other" or the unknown. The doppelgangers represent a twisted version of the familiar, causing discomfort and fear.
This film interestingly shows themes of society at large. In this film, there are two identical groups of people, one free in the world, and the other stuck wandering aimlessly. There are different ways to interpret this, rich vs. poor, whites vs. minorities, it can be up to the viewer to decide. While we don’t have true doppelgängers in this world, there are certainly people who could’ve had the same lives as us if circumstances had been different. In Us, we see the tethered mimicking the actions of their counterparts, unknown to them.
ReplyDelete- Hannah Parker
To me, the concept of doppelgängers has always been intriguing. Many individuals find it frightening to imagine that when they look in the mirror, they will see what they believe to be themselves moving. One of my favorite television programs is focused on supernatural concepts, including doppelgängers which made me very interested to see this movie. Doppelgängers, as I've already learnt, are identical replicas of people who also possess comparable skills and appearances. I also know that they usually torment the one who resembles them. This movie says a lot about what a person thinks of themselves since most people do not want to look in the mirror for very long because they may be scared of seeing the truth about themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis week’s film was quite hard to watch. I am not a fan of anything horror, including movies, books, and stories. I was able to get through the movie by watching it in the daytime and I did like the story then went along with this movie. I also liked how there was quite a plot twist at the end when Adelaide finds out that they switched places as a child. I love to watch a movie with a plot twist at the end because it really does shock you after believing one thing for the whole movie. The concept of doppelgängers was also interesting to me. I know that this movie was fictional but the thought of having someone just like you living below ground is fascinating. Overall I thought it was good but at times it was hard for me to watch because of how I dislike horror movies.
ReplyDelete- Rebecca Fyrer
I found Jordan Peele's film Us very interesting. The theme of having a doppelganger is interesting but also terrifying to me at the same time. I think one political undertone I sensed in the film was during Red’s monologue when they meet their doppelgangers for the first time. Red talks about her anger with Adelaide because while Adelaide was having a great life hers was the complete opposite. I think her monologue spoke on privilege and classicism. I think this was also displayed when it was revealed where the tethered had been stuck all along, underground. Whereas Adelaide and the rest of society lived above, living their lives freely. I think this shows the contrast in how life is for the upper class and lower class. I do think it was interesting that there were repetitive images of the tethered holding hands together. It almost to me signifies their need to come together as one to fight against the unjust that goes on in society. I think that may be another political point Jordan Peele was trying to make.
ReplyDelete- Ashley Hernandez
After watching this film I found it quite interesting and also quite scary the idea that everyone in the film has a clone who is trying to kill the actual person makes it really scary for me. While watching I didn’t seem to see much political stuff from the movie I guess the one part where you could make the argument is when they show the real people above ground at the fair and the clones under ground. This could be an analogy for the Rich and the Poor I guess where they are enjoying life and the poor are struggling to survive day to day and are all tethered together is what the movie makes it out to be. I really enjoyed the plot twist at the end of the movie when we find out that “Red” is actually the real Adelaide and they were swapped as kids.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this film it was creepy the way the movie was more psychological than jump scare horror. The ending is the creepiest knowing that the "real" mom is actually the clone but you're not 100% sure makes my skin crawl. I don't believe there is any political meaning in the movie but there might be hidden reasons. The doppelganger theory is insanely creepy, knowing there could be an evil copy of yourself trying to replace you and your life. Overall the movie was really good.
ReplyDeletegeneveve provencial
DeleteUS is a 2019 horror movie starring Lupita Nyongo, and directed by Jordan Peele. I found US to be a particularly "deep" horror film, tackling political themes of classism and family through a creepy, atmospheric lens. The central 4 characters are stalked by a family of doubles --dopplegangers of themselves. While striking and frightening on a surface level, there's a lot to sift through regarding these doubles outside of simple scares and eerie visuals. I appreciate Peele for allowing the story to have so much substance. I have seen this film once before when it released and though I enjoyed the experience, I found it puzzling at the time. I wasn't entirely sure how to feel about the reveal regarding what "The Tethered" actually are. These doubles are twisted, often illiterate or mute and seem to have a penchant for using force to acquire their results. They are kept beneath society, both literally and figuratively hidden from view. The uprising of Tethered almost comes across like a revolution of sorts. It's been a few years since my initial viewing, so I think I was better able to make sense of what the filmmakers were attempting to say on this viewing. The primary family we focus on sees themselves as the main characters of their own story to extent, blissfully enjoying a vacation that many (such as a boardwalk-dwelling homeless man shown briefly) are far less fortunate to experience. This happiness and materialistic joy could be interpreted as occurring at the expense of those who cannot experience these blessings. Symbolically, a boardwalk funhouse is built atop a lonely refuge for these doubles like a pretty surface covering up the reality of the situation. To me, I believe The Tethered are representative of these less "well-off" individuals, people who society would much rather ignore and cast aside. Given the circumstances, the viewer can hardly blame The Tethered considering themselves to be Americans that are entitled to the same earthly pleasures as our lead characters. This is further reflected by the fact that our main character "Addy" technically isn't the "real" Addy. As a child, the two swapped places and the doppleganger Addy has been living the life above ground while the real Addy becomes a leader to The Tethered. Peele doesn't offer any easy answers about this and instead seems poised to raise questions about what this means for society at large. Forget instance, since this Addy did live this life with a family of her own, does that make her any less real? Moreover, does it make her more or less entitled to that life that she essentially had to take from someone else? Since the alternative was eating raw rabbit and living underground, can we truly blame her for wanting more?
ReplyDelete--Jaymes Raymond
DeleteI’m not a fan of horror, but this film had some political and social undertones that were very interesting. The idea that those who are more fortunate forget about the struggles of everyone is very relevant. There is a major wealth gap between the upper class and lower class and it seems like the upper class wants to keep it that way. This is represented in the film by the Tethered who existed in underground tunnels before they staged the “Hands across America” movement. I also found some of the music choices to be interesting and relevant as well. Overall, I think this film had many political statements woven into the horror.
ReplyDeleteI believe this movie is political referencing class divide but I don’t believe all horror movies are political. The tethered are a literal reflection of ourselves. But overall it’s just a theme of who is privileged and who isn’t because it’s not actually real that we have shadows of ourselves. Or so I think so. It also is about how we are our worst enemy. The dopplegangers also symbolize duality of human nature. Lots of people on a daily battle the mirror image of themselves. Some people are even scared of their own shadow.
ReplyDeleteKaleigh Hopkins
I don't believe that there is necessarily political referencing other than what seems to be be class divide. "Us" is a psychological horror film that explores the rot in modern American society through a family's encounter with their warped doppelgängers called the Tethered. Tethered describes something that's tied up, indicating to me that their doppelgängers are versions of themselves, which is not political. However, in the film it appears that the upper class are well aware that they are upper class and do not want anything to change that, but that is not unusual.
ReplyDeleteAva Perry
I think the ending was more creepy than meaningful because the ending reveals to the audience that the mother driving the ambulance was the original doppelganger who choked her double in the hall of mirrors and brought her below the building and chained her to the bed. I think the political undertone is that in our country we fear what other people can do to us when we don't take a look at ourselves. This could relate to the government as well. I also think that another political aspect could be how the tethered are doubles who live underground and in the movie said they were born without a soul and wish they were able to see the blue sky like their doubles could. This could represent the unfortunate who have to work harder to get what they want while others who have more privileges don't struggle like they do.
ReplyDelete-Elena Ruggieri
US the movie I think is a science experiment almost like bringing out a version of a person in a different form such as an altered ego to seen. It was definitely creepier than other tales. I did sense a political undertone in the movie, especially from Jordan Peele however I do not agree that all horror films are political. I would not call Hocus Pocus a political movie, however, it is a horror movie. US reflects what is happening in society, which tells the story of race and individuality, especially of people whose voices are not heard.
ReplyDeleteOlolade Ojekunle
Dorothy tavares
ReplyDeleteDorothy tavares
ReplyDeleteThe entire movie revolves on the idea of privilege. Class differences in the actual world are reflected in the presence of an underground less fortunate class known as the Tethered. The underground life and suffering of the Tethered might be interpreted as a metaphor for the structural injustices that disadvantaged and underprivileged groups must contend with. Furthermore, the characters' violent and fearful initial reaction to the Tethered highlights the lack of understanding and empathy that frequently defines society's reaction to individuals who are disadvantaged.The cycle of disadvantage continues when society ignores and fails to address the suffering of disadvantaged groups.
ReplyDeleteThe film offers a commentary on how contemporary political correctness culture can compel individuals to conceal less socially-accepted aspects of their personalities, potentially resulting in self-loathing. The use of clones in the narrative symbolizes the facets of our personalities that we repress. The film raises the question of whether the emphasis on adhering to PC norms can lead to a disconnection from one's true self. It underscores the importance of striking a balance between societal expectations and self-acceptance for overall psychological well-being.
ReplyDeleteThe psychological thriller Us was an interesting, yet creepy movie to watch. The films protagonist, Adelaide, is haunted by an event in her childhood, where she found her doppelgänger in a funhouse mirror. Her family travels to a summer home, where they see four individuals standing in their driveway. These individuals reveal themselves to be the family’s doppelgängers, called the “tethered”. I was most surprised by the ending of the movie, where we find out that the women we’ve been following as Adelaide was actually apart of the tethered and has been assuming her life for her (her unconscious doppelgänger is known as Red), and the women Adelaide in the tethered group is not actually "tethered", but in fact is the real Adelaide. This movie was confusing to follow, but as it went on I grasped the concept that the tethered group was created as a government experience and conspiracy theory to mimic their doppelgängers lives underground.
ReplyDelete-Nicollette DeFusco
The Wilson family take to the road to go on a vacation. Wilson's were faced with doppelgängers which then began to be confusing and somewhat scary. Doppelgängers are a mirror image of someone and to some there is more than a valid reason to be. However, the Wilson's becoming terrorized by them was more than enough of a reason. Presented are different themes of society, Intriguing is the plot twists being added to the tale when Adelaide finds out there was a switch during her younger years. The tale gives off a sense of a two sided world, but nothing really leans more to if it was on the political side than non political side, so personally I'd say It has a little of both. I personally hate horror movies and wasn't very pleased.
ReplyDeleteThe Tethered, representing suppressed and marginalized aspects of society, rise in rebellion, forcing the Wilsons to confront their own darker sides. The film explores themes of duality, identity, and societal issues, using symbolism and psychological horror to convey a deeper social commentary.
ReplyDeleteUs was truly an interesting yet confusing movie. The Wilson family was faced with their evil doppelgangers. I wasn't too sure if the fear was supposed to stem from the doppelgangers or from the beginning of the movie where it shows the mom experiencing something traumatic. It was an intense thriller that showed once they passed their evil person, another would appear. I possibly thought that maybe the point of this was to show how good can't exist without evil in this world.
ReplyDelete- Emily Torrez