Get Out

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. (02/21/2018)

The film features excellent screenwriting and above all directing, with a strange white panopticon, a properly soaked racist mindset, and above all the insistent feeling of "what the fuck...?". The intensity, where you pray that the plot will keep moving and you will learn a little more, works mainly because the protagonist maintains a rational approach throughout and the plot never once allows him to slip into a genre crutch. Moreover, this is brilliantly caricatured by the character of the best friend, who both introduces and breaks down traditional creative practices by commenting on upcoming events over the phone. It's terribly simple and yet perfectly thought out and embellished in detail, a work of art straight out of a magazine. 4 ½. (07/20/2017)

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%. (04/13/2018)

There's a bit of a nervous director's claw in the horror scenes, and as a result the finale doesn't destroy you as much as it should, but up until that point it's such an apt and poignant escalation of the "black mask" issue that it's just impossible not to enjoy it. I'm rooting for commercial success to the hilt. As the cliché goes: it makes it real. Tarantino must have snorted with delight at this one. (04/29/2017)

Good, but I think that it’s been way overhyped in America as a result of the racial tone, which resonates more across the pond than in here. What’s interesting, though, is that in the film itself, the racial lines are not that broad and the “raciscm” of the villains is rather superficial. What I find thought-provoking is the controversy about whether the villains make instruments out of the blacks simply because of racism, or because. in many aspects (at least in some cases), they consider them better. But I’m not sure whether that controversy is intentional or whether the script is not entirely clear on what it wants to say. The basic concept is pretty cheesy, certainly more than I had expected. There’s also less horror than I had expected, and more comedy. The comedic moments, in particular, were pretty irritating. I have nothing a priori against comedy elements in horror, but here they clearly disrupted the paranoid atmosphere (laughter doesn’t go very well with it) and, to my taste, the humour was very simple, though effective. Instead of that, I would have welcomed a broader explanation of the mechanism of what is actually happening to those black people, because the film addresses it only very roughly, to the point that it gave me a messy impression. And I was also slightly disappointed that it was missing a surprising moment. Yeah, the premise overall is original, but the plot moves within relatively predictable lines – I figured out the one relatively big twist ten minutes in advance. Things should have got moving after that, but instead, they were over pretty quickly. The comment may sound too critical, but that’s because I was really convinced I was going to see the best horror film in recent years. Not even by chance, but it is certainly a good film. Edit: After the second viewing my quibbles have disappeared. It’s awesome! The explanations of the events turned out to be enough and the second time you can really enjoy those little nuances in the performances that show that the whole thing is excellently thought-out. (04/28/2017)