BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 8: GET OUT (2017)

Fear can manifest in many shapes and forms. Fear can appear in obvious places as well as the places you'd least expect. Such is the versatility of the horror genre and one of the reasons why horror is so appealing. I love the wild and crazy horror films featuring monsters, ghosts, demons, and more. Experiencing creatures and spirits not present in everyday life can be a potent thrill. But depending on your disposition, the horror films that really strike a cord with audiences are the movies grounded in reality. Real people doing horrible things to real people.

GET OUT is a horror suspense thriller from comedian and filmmaker Jordan Peele. While I was watching this movie I felt as if I was watching a new definitive classic for the genre. The subject matter was true to real life, timely, and presented in an original way. Others have been comparing it to Roman Polanski's classic ROSEMARY'S BABY or the STEPFORD WIVES. I'm going to say it has a VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED or INVASION OF THE BODY-SNATCHERS vibe too. Needless to say director Jordan Peele tapped into the very veins of classic horror, contributing what should be a new staple for the genre.

THE PLOT

Chris sets out to meet his girlfriend's parents at their secluded country home. He's a little concerned that Rose hasn't told her parents that he's a black man. When he arrives his concerns are well founded. Rose's parents try to act hospitable but nothing can help that awkward feeling. The feeling only grows stranger as Chris interacts with the maid and groundskeeper, the only other black people present. The situation gets ever more uncomfortable when Rose's mother hypnotizes Chris resulting in some surreal nightmares. Chris suddenly has the feeling that his fate is no longer his own. During a party thrown by Rose's parents Chris finds himself in a nightmare he cannot wake up from.

WHAT I LIKED

Atmosphere. A sense of unease is one of the bedrocks of horror films. If you, the audience member, don't feel uncomfortable then there is a missing connection between viewer and film. This nervous feeling can be achieved through location, characters, cinematography, music, or striking visuals. Get Out has a little bit of everything combined in one very potent soup. From the get go this feeling of unease is established. And it's relateable too. Something as simple as walking through an unusually quiet and unfamiliar neighborhood at night, fearing what's hiding in the dark. The filmmakers keep the tension fairly real as the film goes on from more uncomfortable settings to awkward human interactions and more.

Slow Burn. This isn't a fast paced movie. And neither are the comparison films listed above, so don't think going into this movie that it is going to be riveting from start to finish. Instead the filmmakers opt to build the tension and the atmosphere until it boils over in the climactic finale. But saying that it's slow isn't the same as saying the film is boring. Far from it. The execution of the events in the film are all deliberate and unnerving in real life. From hitting a deer while driving and dealing with a subtly hostile police officer to meeting your significant other's parents for the first time. What's really remarkable about this film is the restraint and balancing act of the filmmakers. The events aren't strikingly strange but there is something "off" about them. Not so strange as to have the normal person say, "Eff this. I'm outta here," but weird enough to get you to tilt your head.

Social Commentary. The horror genre has always been fertile grounds for commenting on real life. Horror legends like John Carpenter and George A. Romero have often employed social commentary in their films and it is part of the reason why those films have become classics and have a timeless quality to them. Get Out has those same qualities. At its core it's about basic human interactions, relationships, fears, and hate. These feelings are universal no matter your skin color. But in a masterful stroke of storytelling, the narrative subverts the notion that the story is about racism during the climax. This lets us interpret the film in many different ways.

NITPICKS

Honestly I have no beefs with this film whatsoever. I feel the film was executed very well on all fronts. If I had to pick a bone of contention with the film it would be a few instances of humor. For the most part the humor is executed perfectly in film, John Landis perfect. But as the film ramps up towards the finale there are some great jokes that maybe diffuse the tension a little too much. I was still laughing about the jokes when I should've been reeling from the scares that followed. It's not that big a deal save that I personally had trouble going back to being scared. Maybe the joke was too good that the suspense couldn't rise above it? Only really in this one instance did the humor overshadow the tension for me. Sadly though it occurred at a very pivotal moment in the climax.

THE VERDICT

Smart characters, fantastic acting, and an intelligent presentation make GET OUT one of the best horror films in years. There are many truths about humanity in this film that hit close to home whether you're black or white. And the sense of unease is incredibly potent. The film builds the tension in a slow burn fashion that pays off big time by the end. And it's the kind of film that leaves it open to interpretation and discussion. It has all the strengths and hallmarks of a great film and a classic horror film. Very very well done.

Overall Ranking: 8 out of 10

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Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10