Why Jordan Peele’s Us Is Rated R – Armessa Movie News

Us is one of the scariest horror movies of the 2010s and a masterclass in suspense, effectively earning its mature R-rating. The 2019 movie seems like a simple home invasion slasher flick, but as has become typical of director Jordan Peele’s movies, there’s a shocking Twilight Zone-esque element to it. Peele’s directorial prowess became unassailable when he debuted with the psychological horror Get Out, and as a result, the anticipation surrounding his follow-up directorial venture, Us, was palpable. The film might not have replicated the same critical adulation as its predecessor, but Us came storming into the box office regardless of its R-rating.

Us made $256 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), proving that Peele had once again tapped into the zeitgeist. Us leans more into the conventional horror and slasher territory, with its eerie premise and unnerving plot twists. A standout aspect of the movie is the powerhouse performance from Lupita Nyong’o, who, with her dual role, delivers a masterclass in horror acting through Us‘ shocking twist ending. The range of her depth is rare in horror films, with her portrayal adding layers of complexity. While Us didn’t achieve the same awards recognition as Get Out, it still offered a brutal and satisfying cinematic experience more chilling than Peele’s first film, which is reflected in the R-rating.

Us’ R-Rating Explained: Violence/Terror & Language

Us is a visceral, intense film, pulling no punches in its representation of psychological horror, backed by moments of stark violence. The premise of doppelgangers, or the “Tethered,” hunting their surface counterparts sets the tone for a relentless series of harrowing events. Between a number of home invasion sequences and deadly attacks throughout the film, Us is a blood-filled and severe slasher. The Tethered use household items as weapons, too, with Red’s (Nyong’o) weapon of choice being a pair of scissors in Us. While there are also long scenes without violence, they’re still extremely disturbing and creepy, cementing the movie’s R-rating.

The terror is psychological as well, with the characters’ confrontations of their own darkest selves leading to profoundly disturbing sequences. Peele’s film also doesn’t hesitate to delve into the Tethered’s unsettling underground tunnels in Us, and their true nature is revealed. These scenes carry a constant dread throughout Us that exacts a way more exhausting toll on audiences than the actual violence, which has a big hand in the movie’s rating. Us also punctuates its frightening narrative with strong language, providing exclamation points to its terrifying sequences, further securing its mature R-rated tone.

How Us’ R-Rating Compares To Jordan Peele’s Get Out & Nope

While Both Get Out and Us are cut from the same cloth, as they’re both elevated horrors with social commentary and dark humor, it’s evident that Us leans more heavily into traditional horror elements. Get Out is psychologically intense and has its share of violent moments, but its dread is primarily socio-political and less direct. The violence and terror in Us are more overt, with more direct confrontations between characters and a much higher body count. In terms of language, both films utilize strong wording, but Us employs it more frequently, making the 2019 movie slightly more explicit than the 2017 release.

When it comes to Jordan Peele’s Us follow-up, Nope, the former still stands out as a more traditional horror film and is way scarier than the 2022 release. Nope is a sci-fi horror, but the popcorn flick leans much heavier on the sci-fi side. Peele’s third film does feature one of his most terrifying scenes when aliens invade OJ’s barn, but that scene is a cheeky bait-and-switch; it’s quickly revealed that those “aliens” are actually kids pranking OJ. Outside that one scene, very little else besides the characters’ language is enough to warrant Nope’s R-rating. Ultimately, Us is by far Peele’s scariest, most violent, and explicit R-rated movie.

Source: Box Office Mojo