Movie Poster

Now, you're in the Sunken Place.

# Review

I’m a big fan of Key & Peele, and when Jordan Peele directed a horror movie, I added it to my to-watch list but have never gotten around to it. On my long-haul flight to Dallas, I finally watched it. The film follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a black photographer from Brooklyn who has a white girlfriend named Rose (Allison Williams). Rose is taking Chris to Upstate New York to meet her white family and Chris quickly realizes that the Armitage family is hiding a secret.

The story is wacky but very engaging and features many interesting themes commentating on society, in particular the treatment of black people. I’ll be lying if I said that the film doesn’t feature overt political and social commentary but because those themes are central to the story, the commentary doesn’t feel forced or out of place. Kaluuya was great as Chris but my favourite characters are definitely members of the Armitage household, such as Williams’ very psychopathic Rose and Catherine Keener’s unsettling Missy, as well as their household members, such as Walter (Marcus Henderson) and Georgina (Betty Gabriel). While there are jumpscares, the horror in this film is more psychological and almost cerebral. I especially enjoyed the mystery factor where the film slowly unravels the plot. Being a Peele film, there was also ample amounts of comedic scenes to break up the suspense, such as the character of Chris’ friend Rod (Lil Rel Howery).

# Conclusion

A fun psychological horror.

# Overall rating: 7.8

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