From the director of the horror masterpiece Get Out, Jordan Peele returns to the silver screen with his new film, Us. This is a film I was excited to see for a number of reasons, which include the cast and the fact that this was Jordan Peeles’s second film to be released. There was a great deal of speculation on whether this film would live up to the genius of Get Out; after watching the movie, I can say with confidence that while it’s not on the same level of Jordan Peele’s last film, Us is a worthy follow-up for his directorial career.

There is only one problem that stops Us from being something truly outstanding. The one flaw with this movie is that the pacing in the first act is way too fast and kind of sloppy in comparison to the rest of the film. The first act could have been much better paced to allowed for more depth in the characters. Fortunately, the rest of the run-time is suspense driven, exciting, and thought-provoking perfection.

Even though Jordan Peele’s Get Out was a better film in my opinion, the one thing I believe Jordan Peele improved upon was the filmmaking presented here. The cinematography was a huge step forward, filled with wonderful shots and astonishing camera work. The music was also phenomenal as it combined operatic sounds with hip hop classics that intensified the dark atmosphere of the film.

The stand out performance though is from Lupita Nyong’o, who brings her character to life so elegantly that it’s going to be very hard for any other actress this year to top her work here. The family in Us is honestly one of the best written families I’ve seen. The writing for the Tethered family creates brilliant antagonists that add depth to the overall theme of the film.

The best thing about Us is its focus on the social class, gray morality, and the illusion of unity in America. Jordan Peele’s message is so terrifyingly real and relevant in today’s society that I cannot recommend this film enough. If Jordan Peele can keep up his track record of brilliant films, then he truly is the next Stanley Kubrick of film.