Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (dir. Ryan Coogler) is the sequel to Marvel’s Black Panther (2018). Wakanda Forever is exactly what Marvel’s Phase Four of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) needs to say goodbye to the late Chadwick Boseman (who died in 2020), as well as reintroduce some beloved characters and debut refreshing new ones.
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On his twitter account, writer/director Jordan Peele briefly declared, in two separate tweets, that his debut Get Out was a documentary, while his sophomore feature Us was a horror movie. While Get Out obviously isn’t a documentary in the technical sense, its horror-comedy framework is intelligently utilized to highlight the underlying anxiety in a very human narrative; it’s Peele’s authenticity and biting commentary that made it a hit. And by all accounts, Get Out was lightning in a bottle, being a success among general audiences and winning multiple awards including Best Original Screenplay at the 2018 Academy Awards. Peele had already proven himself to be a very capable writer/director on his first outing, so when it comes to Us, comparisons to his prior work will inevitably be made, despite the evident distinction its mastermind has clearly highlighted.
It’s hard not to make those comparisons, especially considering the tremendous strength and cultural impact of Peele’s debut. But Us is a different beast entirely; an unraveling and mysterious work that leaves you asking even more questions at the end than at the beginning. This isn’t to say the film’s plotting is hard to follow or confusing, since it follows a considerably standard narrative structure. Rather, much like some of the all-time great horror films, its true meaning (especially the ending) is considerably elastic. The more you think about and revisit a film like Us, the more you’ll get out of it. Jordan Peele has proven his knack for this sort of thing by crafting “smarter than average” horror flicks that reward upon re-watch. From the Hands Across America to the Jeremiah 11:11 allusions, Peele thoughtfully utilizes reincorporation to enrich the subtext, though not all his heady ambitions pan out perfectly (note: the embarrassingly on-the-nose “We’re Americans” line from the tethered). Nevertheless, he’s a writer/director with plenty of purpose, passion, and intelligence.
Though it was advertised as primarily a horror film, Us still contains its comedic elements, for better or for worse. It’s an off-putting watch in a packed theater, since (again, not trying to compare to Get Out), the balance of horror and comedy isn’t quite as consistent as it is in Peele’s debut, leading to audience members occasionally laughing at inappropriate times. It’s unsure whether or not that’s a true indication of an inconsistent tone, but the laughs definitely felt more jarring than they did in Get Out. Though, it should be noted that there is a scene involving both ‘Good Vibrations’ by The Beach Boys and ‘F The Police’ by N.W.A. that combines the horror and comedy brilliantly. That, and the revelatory dance scene at the end are definite highlights of the film. Speaking of highlights, you can’t talk about this film without mentioning Lupita Nyong’o’s performance. Particularly in the second half, so much of her character is conveyed with subtlety and minimalist dialogue. Her performance and voice work in bringing her doppelgänger Red to life is bone-chilling, and really help elevate Us, on top of an already stellar supporting cast.
At the end of the day, Us feels like a very solid episode of The Twilight Zone: solid execution with some great ideas and ambitions to keep you intrigued. I suppose, then, that Peele was a great fit for the show’s reboot. Frankly, I can’t think of anyone better fit for the job, and I can’t wait for everything he has in store for the future of horror film-making.
Score: 4/5