I thought this was good. Not as good or as sharply written as Get Out but a solid 7.5/10 for me on first watch. And this is for sure a movie that needs a second viewing because there's a lot going on and I'll admit a lot of it went over my head as it was being gradually unfolded for the viewer. Loads of symbolism, perhaps too much for some people's liking but it definitely leaves you thinking.
The whole cast was terrific, including and especially Lupita Nyong'o but her voice when she spoke as the tethered was a little too weird for me. I may revisit that opinion on re-watch but it felt like it took me out of the moment a little bit when that voice hit (although it seemed to normalize as she continued speaking, so by the end of the movie- or even the end of her initial monologue- she sounded less burpy like the kid who burped his ABCs in Billy Madison).
The twist at the end got me. Normally that's something I'd see coming (as I'm sure many viewers did) so it was nice to get surprised. It was a good reveal.
In the end I'm left perplexed by the tethered, and I suppose that's the point (the dichotomy). They murdered everyone (or rather lots of people) but then did the hands across america thing. Adelaide herself shows that a tethered could become an upstanding mother/real-world human so she proves they do have souls, they aren't different than us if given the opportunity to live in our world.
The whole cast was terrific, including and especially Lupita Nyong'o but her voice when she spoke as the tethered was a little too weird for me. I may revisit that opinion on re-watch but it felt like it took me out of the moment a little bit when that voice hit (although it seemed to normalize as she continued speaking, so by the end of the movie- or even the end of her initial monologue- she sounded less burpy like the kid who burped his ABCs in Billy Madison).
I mean her throat was crushed and she's been living in the underground without talking or anyone else talking for that matter. I'd imagine she would sound really weird when you think about it. I had zero issues here.
The swerve/twist came to mind the way Original Red reacted after she ran back into the house and eventually killed the last of the Tylers' doubles. Jason came back in and saw it and she kind of froze and realized she wasn't acting like a non-Doppelgänger would act.
It was kind of fitting how she was a child and saw the Hands Across America ad and thought that was ultimately the answer to everything, so she developed that plan for the tethered. Like HAA, the plan, while visually powerful, really didn't amount to much.
The scene where the doubles for the Tylers came into play was huge. That changed the scope of the movie entirely. It was also haunting to see the attacks from the perspective of being outside of the house.
Like I mentioned in the review thread, Peele's work leading up to this was enough buzz to generate interest and it's really hard to live up to that sense of hype and expectation. I thought he exceeded both.
The scene where the doubles for the Tylers came into play was huge. That changed the scope of the movie entirely.
Totally. I thought that was good writing how it was revealed. You think this is something very personal to our main characters, that they're being targeted by these underground dwellers and the story is confined them and then the evil version of Peggy from Mad Men let's you know this really aint a game dawg. Everyone has a tethered (at least in America).
Loved it as a movie. Its gorgeous and it's tense and it freaked me out.
Been thinking a lot about the underlying meaning is and the message and am excited to read a bit and see others thoughts. Clearly a very heavy social commentary but I think less on race and more on class or a loss of community
I've tried to stay vague there for no spoilers but if anyone who has seen it thinks I've accidentally let something slip let me know and I'll edit. Plan to post some more thoughts in a spoiler tag later