Get Out Review

Get Out (2017) Poster

I heard a lot of great things about “Get Out”, but I don’t really go to the movies anymore. So I waited, and I waited, and finally caved in and got the blu ray edition of this movie. I was surprised by how many elements of horror are found in this film, yet it’s not really “horror” in the traditional sense. I was waiting for the horror elements to be amped up, but they never were. This is more of a thriller to me, but that’s just my opinion based on mulling this over a long time now. With that in mind, let’s take into consider what “Get Out” is, and isn’t, and what I feel about the movie after seeing it, digesting it, and really considering the hype that has this getting a 99 percent on rotten tomatoes right now.

Jordan Peele is known for his comedy, and this movie is not a comedy. The movie dives deeper into the issues of xenophobia than any other movie in the genre that I’ve seen in a while. In fact, you’re going to get hit hard with a racial element as Allison William’s character is taking her new boyfriend to meet her parents, and the family that lives in what I can only assume is a massive mansion. Well it is, but come on. Anyways, Chris Washington and Rose Armitage visit an all white community and it appears that Chris is the odd man out, having to put aside the notion that he’s not fitting in, cause he’s black. This comes through in a very specific manner that I’ve felt all of my life, even now in the Midwest. I’m distinctly Mexican, and feel the pressure of who I am whenever I’m surrounded by this type of situation.

The movie continues, with our main character finding out that people are getting hypnotized in a way, and the movie continues to reveal the sinister plot. Mix elements of “Parts: The Clonus Project”, “The Island”, and “Extreme Measures”, and you start to see where Peele may have found inspiration to create a racially divided movie. There are even a few nods to “Gattaca” if you reach hard enough, with an element of bio-engineering for good measure.

Where’s the gore? That’s what I was wondering as I watched this movie progress. Yes, it’s a tightening gyre of sorts, but the 103 minutes really is more of a cinematic treat, then it is a horror fueled masterpiece. The social commentary that underlines the movie’s key reveals, and points, alongside the third and final acts really pushes the boundaries of suspense and thriller genres, not horror. The lack of gore, and the placement of characters makes this a great follow through, but at the end of the day, it falls flat for me.

Is this a horror movie? Not really. It’s more of a thriller with some horror elements. The lack of gore is one thing, but there’s something else missing, and I can’t really put my finger on it. However, the movie is a good one, for what it is, and a surprisingly well paced, interesting movie that pushes a lot of buttons, but gives you a little too much “rose” at times. The comic relief was good though, and for that, I’m going to recommend this one. It’s a somewhat well balanced, interesting take on the genre, but it’s not as “horror” fueled as some may want to say. I could go deeper into this movie, but honestly, I don’t have much more to say than what many other better writers have already said. Visually it’s good, the plot moves swiftly, and it’s well edited, and thought out at times. I liked it, and perhaps that’s the most important aspect of this movie. "Get Out" has a nice punch, and a great idea, with less horror and more suspense and thriller elements than you can shake a fist at. It's like watching modern day "Twilight Zone" in some ways.

I give this movie a 4 out of 5 rating, and recommend it.

You can purchase “Get Out” on Blu Ray by clicking here.

Did you see “Get Out”? Did you like it? Drop me a line in the comments.

Split Review

Split Movie Poster

What’s this? A new review? Yeah, you’re GD right! I’m back to business after a long time away, and we’re going to go absolutely crazy with movie reviews and random B.S. Here we go, an M. Night Shyamalan flick to start off the new era of this blog. “Split” is a movie that came out in 2016, and today we’re going to look at it from my perspective, as I didn’t think it was as bad as some people will have you believe. Twists and turns and all!

M. Night Shyamalan returned to form in this movie, and it’s fascinating how it all works out. The movie is simple enough, it’s a movie about a serial killer that has split personalities. He kidnaps three teenagers and goes through different personalities, and becomes a fascinating exploration of control, kidnapping and so much more. It’s fascinating that this is the comeback of M. Night Shyamalan because he was able to gain the upper hand on a $9 million budget! This movie went on to make $276 million at the box office, so you know there’s more coming. Either way, this movie was one hell of a thriller.

The movie features James McAvoy as 23 different personalities, and it’s a fascinating push forward. I was absolutely blown away by how he acted in this movie. The rest is your run of the mill kidnapping and horror tale, with flashes of the past from one of the young women that has been kidnapped. There are some great moments of horror, including flash backs to molestation, and other innuendos. There’s some insane elements too, with a point a “monster” comes out. There was no major twist, like I was told. There was a nod to another movie, but overall, this film goes straight through between thriller and horror. It’s a fascinating film to go through.

“Split” takes you through a horror fueled closet of sorts. McAvoy is great here, and the movie is simple, and runs through in a very narrow, linear path. It’s predicable, but looks great, and there are moments of true horror, and suspense at times. M. Night Shyamalan really rests on his visual spectrum, and does so with a limited budget and great editing. I loved it. However, I won’t watch it again, as it wasn’t a classic to me. There were a few moments where I felt it was too predictable, however, what he does well is the same kind of momentum that made Hitchcock’s films so suspenseful at the time.

I give M. Night Shyamalan’s “Split” a 4 out of 5.

You can pick up your copy of “Split” on blu ray by clicking here.

Did you see “Split”? Did you like it? Sound off in the comments, let me know.