Us is one of the most talked about thrillers that has been released this year. The director, Jordan Peele, is known for creating movies that have hidden meanings or metaphors which bring up substantial discussions. Us is no different, since the entire plot is based on the idea that humans are the monsters of society because of ungratefulness.

The film begins with a young Adelaide walking along the Santa Monica Pier with her family. She ends up separating from her parents and goes into an abandoned room which is surrounded by mirrors.  When she gets to the end of the hall she sees herself, but not how we would normally see ourselves when we look in the mirror. She sees what is essentially her clone. We know this is not the reflection of Adelaide, because her clone has a different outfit. Adelaide is so distraught after this encounter. She has to go to therapy because she would not talk. The movie fast-forwards to the present where Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is now an adult and she is with her husband and children. They are going back to the Santa Monica pier for a family vacation. Adelaide is fearful, within reason, because of what happened to her as a child. One of the most questionable moments of the film is when the family is listening to the radio on the way to the beach. Adelaide tells her son, Jason (Evan Alex), to snap with her to the beat of the music. The questionable part of this scene is that both Jason and Adelaide are offbeat. The family eventually makes it to the beach to meet with their family friends, the Tylers. They return home after their day with the other family. They hope to have a peaceful evening, but this is not the case when they are attacked by their clones. Adelaide’s clone, Red, leads the clones in the attack.

It is later revealed that Red is the leader of an entire movement of clones. The clones call themselves, “The Tethered”. Red is the only one able to communicate. The rest of the group are mute. The plot twist of the entire film is that Red is actually the real Adelaide. The Adelaide that we see with her family, is actually the doppelganger. At the beginning of the movie, it is believed that the real Red switches places with Adelaide and steals her life. Red is mute so she has to learn how to speak. This is why Adelaide won’t talk after the encounter and why she had to go to therapy. Red starts the entire movement of doppelgangers because she had her life stolen from her as a child. It is her way of getting revenge.

“The suspense and mystery was amazing,” said freshman Iris Lashley. “I love how there was humor added into it because usually during horror movies, I like to laugh to ease the terror.”