Get Out is a brilliant debut by Peele that speaks loudly of its intentions and not afraid of crossing the line while doing so.
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Nobody associates a comedy actor with horror movies. Certain prejudicial social mindsets have resulted in the bewilderment to hear that Jordan Peele (of Key and Peele fame) has written and directed his first feature in the form of a racially-charged horror genre.
Get Out isn’t the conventional horror fare to start with, despite being a Blumhouse title. It is a great film that has got everything wrong – intentionally.
Chris Washington (UK actor Daniel Kaluuya) is an African American who finds himself invited to his (Caucasian) girlfriend’s parents’ place after some months of dating. While packing for the trip, he questions Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) if her parents know of his colour. “My father would vote for Obama for the third term, if he could”, is a convenient but politically sensitive response that begins to suggest its actual context.
It sets the background very quickly where an African American citizen in the US has every reason to be prudent. A police officer requests for Chris’ ID without any apparent reason and greetings in an early scene. This is yet another hint of how race is an underlying issue that everybody knows of its presence but tries not to talk about it.
Regardless if it’s an apt reference to the Trump administration and policies, Chris soon faces Rose’s eagerly-pleasing parents who establish how racially friendly they are. “My father was proud to have competed at the Berlin Olympics with Jesse Owens”, Mr Armitage’s inappropriate attempt cannot keep Chris from noticing that the family house help and gardener are African Americans with odd demeanours.
The mystery intensifies as the plot thickens to keep the audience interested at the edge of their seats. Viewers could feel that something is amiss despite Peele’s subtle approach to his exposition – thanks to an effective screenplay and influential soundtrack.
Get Out interestingly switches gear to cash out the audience’s curiosity when hell breaks loose for Chris. One of the antagonists elaborates the ploy and what they are planning to do to him. “But you don’t really care, do you?”, one of the sparks of humour within the film before Chris brilliantly responds “Just one question – Why us? Why Black people?”.
Peele is also observed to go against genre traits on purpose. For instance, Chris’ vengeance upon his aggressors are surprisingly fast over and done with (in quick seconds), albeit enabling viewers feeling a great sense of perverse satisfaction.
Towards the end of the film, Peele’s audience acknowledges that Peele packaged his true intentions in the form of a horror film. This is akin to how most people disgustingly go about justifying how one is thinking too much into things when the stark truth is simply too obvious to ignore.
By underlining the issue of race and the unspoken tension that is deeply rooted within today’s society, Get Out is a brilliant debut by Peele that speaks loudly of its intentions and not afraid of crossing the line while doing so.
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