Get Out

I've seen a lot of poor horror movies lately that have been praised by American critics only because they were gender-progressive or originated in an exotic country and themed some form of oppression. At first glance, Get Out seems exactly like the "we have an explosive racial topic that someone has dealt with in all its explicitness" case, but from the opening scene Peele gives the impression that he is a) an excellent screenwriter who calmly turns a social metaphor into a grotesque slasher without the structure disintegrating, b) a director able to work with subliminal tension, which is guaranteed to escape the local horror experts, but certainly not an audience with a certain degree of cultivated attention to detail. The first third is a socially relevant metaphor for black masks, the middle builds tension, and the final acts offers peppery catharsis. Together, the acts make a film that is a more intelligent and serious reflection of racial identity for me than the whole of Moonlight. I was only bothered by a little superfluous ethereal music and a few places where you can see inside Get Out more than one would like. Otherwise, it’s great. (27/04/2017)

Earning USD 150 million at the US box office with a budget of less than five million dollars? Jason Blum is the man. And it seems that a new age of black directing talent is at hand. The atmosphere of Get Out is reminiscent of the works of Stephen King, and had it been based on one of his books, it would have been one of the best King adaptations ever. The psychological horror formula, intensely and courageously built on the sensitive issue of racism, will send chills down your spine. Flawlessly directed with intelligent social insight, the movie is effective thanks both to the tension between the characters and purely genre elements (jump scares, raising of the tension using visual tricks). If it had a cleverer ending, it would be a work with precision reaching the level of Shyamalan’s famous trilogy. [ArcLight Santa Monica] (30/03/2017)

I was a bit concerned this would turn into another campaign for the rights of the American minority, of which there is enough everywhere these days. Partially it did, but the story was written in such a way that it didn’t get annoying. By that I mean that I had a pretty good time watching it, because the mean white people were really sneaky, Daniel Kaluuya was impressively flashing his eyeballs, and Rod's visit to the police station was hilarious. I just wouldn't go so far as to call this a horror film. (03/01/2020)

A very sophisticated horror film where a high-stakes game begins from the very first moments. I knew right away that deciding to watch this film would pay off many times over. Jordan Peele was previously a name I associated with entertaining sketches and shorter comedic films, but diving into the horror genre as a director? That took some serious courage. The film is a prime example that even with a smaller budget, you can create a work that captivates, offering a perfect nerve-wracking atmosphere, very, I must emphasize, very satisfying performances (everyone deserves an award), as well as surprising 180-degree story twists. Personally, I consider the hypnosis scene on the couch as the most successful moment, which genuinely scared me even though I was sitting comfortably in my warm home. Then, a thrilling rollercoaster ride ensued, which is rarely managed so well, but here it was done excellently. Additionally, I was floored by the huge twist that happened with the red box (those who have seen it will know). The film plays with creating an atmosphere of the moment, and if the viewer pays attention, they’ll notice countless references that are not used carelessly but serve a purpose. It might be slightly detrimental that such a meticulously crafted film was "ruined" by the action-packed ending, but all in all, it didn’t bother me too much (although I might have opted for the alternative, admittedly more pessimistic ending, which would have suited the film better). Due to the action-oriented tone, I lean towards a strong four stars; otherwise, I would have probably given a full rating. I give it 84%. (13/04/2018)

A feature-length episode of Black Mirror, which the wave of last year's Moonlight and related racial themes nonsensically elevated to the level of a battle for Oscars. Daniel Kaluuya authentically experiences all the sensitive and menacing moments in the role of the main protagonist, and I am very glad to see the underappreciated Allison Williams in a leading role, but it's not enough. An interesting concept is not sufficient for an entire film, and after all the reviews, I inevitably expected a foundation of a new direction or at least a surprisingly well-guided genre film. However, nothing lies beneath this slightly superficial portrayal with its one-sided point. (21/02/2018)