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.

Jeepers Creepers Review

buy jeepers creepers

Another entry from 2001, the movie Jeepers Creepers came out to a lot of fanfare. I didn’t catch it until after it was popular, and in fact, I didn’t remember to pick it up until I had moved to Seattle in 2007. The movie is a classic monster movie and it’s done very well, with a lot of emotional ties to the characters involved, without making it a drama filled boring loop. The movie has a solid little niche, and while it doesn’t have a huge cast, it still works out well, much like “House of Wax” did, the updated version that is.

The movie centers on a couple of young adults that are trying to get home from college. They get run off the road by a seriously bad guy and then uncover that he may be dumping bodies and doing far worse than just driving people off the highway. When they uncover that this is in fact a serious murder mystery, they get thrown into a cycle of hell that drives up the suspense a whole lot.

The movie twists and turns through suspense, and leaves the gore out at times. It is more of a mystery or a thriller than it is a straight up horror movie. It has supernatural elements which are nice, and the effects are good for what they are. Justin Long does a good job here, far better than that crap from Raimi that was pg-13 a while back. I don’t even remember the name, something about going to hell or whatever, it sucked, and he sucked in it. (Terrible writing, I know)

We get some nice thrills, and a good duality angle that involves law enforcement, but this is not going to be as memorable as some of the other entries into the 2000s horror line up. It still has some solid acting, good timing, and narrative that isn’t too terrible. It spawned a sequel, but this original is a solid entry point for anyone that wants a horror movie that isn’t all gore and splatter. I liked it, and I think it deserves a second shot for those that haven’t seen it in a while. Jeepers Creepers isn’t going to win awards, obviously, but it has a certain cult like status in my book so scope it out today.

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