Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Get Out'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

I have for quite some time, lamented over the fact that quality horror films have more or less faded from the box office over the years. Sure we've seen movies that deliver here and there when it comes to terror, but the good kind of horror, the kind that sticks with you and makes you think simply seems to no longer exist and that's a harsh fact that I was reminded of recently when I went to see the incredibly disappointing film, A Cure for Wellness.  

But despite having my hopes and dreams for a quality horror film smashed by the mistakes that particular film made, my boyish optimism still remained because the 2017 calendar had several horror flicks penciled in throughout the year, several from big time studios and my hope has been that maybe...just maybe one of these motion pictures will pull off the impossible and deliver something that sends shivers down my spine and leaves my mind in a scrambled and uncomfortable place and well...at long last my proverbial prayers have been answered because Universal Studios has delivered unto all of us a thoughtful and powerful and downright terrifying motion picture with Get Out.

The plot for this particular film introduces us to a young and vibrant and also interracial couple in Chris and Rose and this plucky pair of lovebirds are headed upstate so that Chris can meet Rose's parents and upon their arrival, Chris comes to discover that everything is not quite what it seems when it comes to his girlfriend's family and that's as far as we are going to go when it comes to the plot. Because Get Out is a horror film you need to see and quite frankly, experience, because this is a motion picture that is incredibly raw and visceral when it comes to the scares, one that digs deep with its social commentary all while paying proper respect to horror movies of yesterday by way of quality homages and a few easter eggs thrown in for good measure as well.

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You'll find tributes to ​The Stepford Wives, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Last House on the Left and even ​The Shining in this film but the tributes never over step their bounds when it comes to the story, and the focus constantly remains on the mystery of what's going on at the Armitage house and moment by moment the tension and the terror builds, before a grand reveal erupts in front of you in shocking fashion, in a way that is both satisfying and deeply disturbing and the big surprise is a story concept so original and so fresh that it stays with you long after the movie has ended. 

However, the film's crowning achievement, is the use of social commentary that I made mention of a moment ago to help drive the story and much has been made over the fact that this story features racial overtones and well...it's something that is important to talk about because yes, it is there and it is also handled in brilliant fashion. Mainly due to the fact that it is purely relevant to the times and offers no easy answers, it simply points out that there is unfortunately still a divide in our country when it comes to color and that it is driven by the old guard of Americans, who refuse to let go of the past and adapt to the present, and its interesting to see how Writer/Director Jordan Peele integrates the latter part of that commentary into the structure of the plot as well.

Either way, this motion picture is a downright breath of fresh air when it comes to a major studio releasing a horror film and I guess it makes sense that Universal, home of the monsters, would be the one behind it and when all is said and done, I hope that the runaway success that Get Out is currently enjoying at the box office is the beginning of an original horror revolution, where new ideas are heard by executives and nourished in the same manner that Universal used to bring this film to life, leading to a big wave of exciting new releases and future classics that respect the past and remove the need for remakes. Regardless, go out and see Get Out, and enjoy everything this fantastic horror film brings to the table. 

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