Jordan Peele has not only made a name for himself as a director in the last seven years, but he has completelyredefined the horror genrein a way nobody dared. As a Black man living in modern-day America, Peele has made some horrifying yet real observations about how society views Black folks. As a writer, comedian, and actor himself, Peele wanted to flip the narrative of Black characters while also highlighting social issues that non-Black people often turn a blind eye to in our own world.
In 2013, Peele pitched the idea ofGet Outto producer Sean McKittrick before even writing a script; two months later, he was ready to make his directorial debut with paper in hand.Get Outcenters around a Black photographer named Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) who goes to meet his white girlfriend’s family for the first time. He soon learns that her family and their friends have been kidnapping and transplanting their brains into Black abductees with “favorable characteristics.” The violated guest then lives in a sort of limbo, aware that their body is inhabited by another, but powerless to do anything about it. Chris does everything in his power to get out of this situation.
If you are a fan of disturbing movies likeGet Outwith a message that needs to be told and talked about, check out these 10 movies to watch next.
10Antebellum (2020)
Antebellum
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Antebellumis a thriller that reminds all audiences that the past is always repeatable. Janelle Monáe stars as Eden, a woman enslaved on a plantation run by Confederate soldiers. At first, audiences are made to believe this is a period piece; however, Eden, whom we thought was an enslaved person living during the Civil War, is then shown in the present day. She is actually a sociologist and author named Dr. Veronica Henley, who was kidnapped and forced to take on a new identity on the plantation. By the end of the film, nothing is as it seemed.
The harrowing twist that concludes the film sheds light on the two realities (present day Louisiana and the plantation) as bits and pieces of storylines fall into place. The message about reinventing the past and how easy (and scary) it can be to go back to oppressed lifestyles is one that needs to be further explored in films.
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9Us (2019)
Two years after Peele made his directorial debut withGet Out, he was back in action with yet another terrifying film, but this time, there was no debate about the genre.Usis a psychological horror film that follows Adelaide and her family as they are pursued by their murderous doppelgängers. Adelaide’s clone, Red, explains how she and all the others have been kept underground after the government abandoned them. They have since risen up and decided to “untether” themselves from people above ground. Adelaide is able to fend off Red, but when she is driving away from the overrun city, it is revealed that she has been hiding a horrifying secret.
Though this is only Peele’s second film, audiences can see that everything he incorporates into his storyline has a larger meaning. Peele explained in an exclusive clip (viaAV Club) that one central theme inUsis privilege. For someone to have a good life, someone else must suffer; this is where the doppelgängers come into play.
One person lives a life of privilege above ground completely unaware of the horrible conditions of someone exactly like themselves underground. We, as a society, need to take this message and do everything we can to help those less fortunate than ourselves.
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8Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
Rosemary’s Baby
Based on Ira Levin’s 1967 novel,Rosemary’s Babyfollows a young woman named Rosemary Woodhouse as she and her husband move into a new apartment with a rather dark history. Strange occurrences begin happening, and several people die from questionable causes. After Rosemary gets pregnant, her nosy neighbors take too much of an interest in her well-being, and she soon discovers that they are members of a cult who likely want her baby for ritual purposes. In the end, Rosemary’s neighbors, husband, and other coven members congratulate her on giving birth to the Antichrist, and she cannot resist the urge to nurture her newborn.
In an interview withFar Out Magazine, Peele talked about howRosemary’s Babywas one of two films that influenced his creation ofGet Out. He liked the idea of a rational individual stuck in a situation where everyone else (in this case, cult members) is trying to take advantage of them, but instead of having his character accept their new reality, Peele allowed Chris Washington to escape his captors.
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7The Menu (2022)
Ralph Fiennes stars as a famous chef, Julian Slowik, inThe Menu, who plans an elaborate event for several fine diners on his private island. Little do most of them know,their actual deathsare on the menu for the night, but that adds to the thrilling experience of it all. One guest, Margot Milla (Anya Taylor-Joy), is a fill-in for a different guest, and she is terrified to learn that her date knew of their fate. Margot manages to appeal to Slowik’s rational side, and she escapes the mass murder.
Blending comedy and horror is easier said than done because there has to be a perfect balance between the two to ensure the storyline and characters don’t become parodies. To achieve this balance, much of the humor is dark and dry, and the horror stems from the fact that there is anticipation between the characters and audiences.
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6The Stepford Wives (1975)
Based on the 1972 novel by Ira Levin,The Stepford Wiveswas the second film Peele said greatly influenced his creation ofGet Out. The story follows a woman named Joanna, who moves to a Connecticut suburb and quickly realizes that many of the women act a bit strangely. They are very submissive towards their husbands, and their conversations often revolve around cleaning.
After a physical altercation between Joanna and her friend, the former realizes that her friend (and all the other women) have been replaced with robots. Joanna confronts her husband, the man in charge of the operation, and her unfinished robot clone.
Watching this cult-like story play out, it is understandable how Peele was influenced by this film. Yet another rational individual desperately tries to get help as well as help others, but they are met with powerful individuals who have had the upper hand for a long time. The ending is ambiguous as audiences don’t know whether the Joanna in the store is a clone or not.
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5NOPE (2022)
Jordan Peele returns to direct a film about the residents of a lonely gulch in inland California bearing witness to an uncanny and chilling discovery. Daniel Kaluuya, Barbie Ferreira, and Steven Yeun star.
Daniel Kaluuya teamed up again with Peele in the latter’s third directorial film,Nope, but this time, the theme does not focus on race. Instead, Peeleplays on the idea of exploitationin a couple of different ways. Fans and critics have made several connections betweenNopeand how real life paparazzi are always looking for the “thing” no one knows about someone just to get a few minutes of fame.
Nopeprimarily follows two siblings, OJ (Kaluuya) and Em (Keke Palmer), as they attempt to financially stay afloat. When they discover a UFO that has been taking their horses, they get the idea to snap a picture of the being to later sell. They tell a few people about their plan, but one man in particular tells them it’s a bad idea to go chasing fame and wealth. Jupe, a guy who has been buying the siblings' horses to show in his theme park, finds out about the creature and concocts a plan to make it a part of his show. However, the menacing thing does not like how it is being exploited, and it goes on a rampage.
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4Mother! (2017)
If you like a movie that makes you think but is told in a not-so-straightforward way, thenMother!may need to go on your to-watch list. Jennifer Lawrence stars as the title character as she represents Mother Earth. Her husband, who is only referred to as Him, is meant to depict God. They experience people coming to their house in a frenzy as they are obsessed with Him. Mother becomes frustrated at all the intrusive interruptions and the destruction of her house (and eventually, the mutilation of her baby).
While the scenes are chaotic and the reviews were mixed, the message was very apparent: People can become so blinded by their devotion to something (in this case, God) that they do not realize they are destroying what is around them (in this case, God’s creation, Mother Earth). This film is a head-scratcher, but once the message is learned and the characters and pieces make more sense, it’s actually quite brilliant.
3Candyman (2021)
After theoriginalCandymantrilogyconcluded in 1999, it seemed like no one could get on the same page with where they wanted to take the story, so it was quickly overshadowed by other horror movie killers and franchises. Nearly 20 years later, Peele decided the urban legend was worthy of a young and fresh audience, so he took on the challenge of co-writing the script as well as producing the film, also calledCandyman. In short, it was a huge success, with many of the original cast members appreciating the detail and homage it paid the original film.
The story begins with Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) as a young artist who gets inspired by the Candyman legend. After people start talking more about the supernatural story and performing the curse, bodies begin piling up. Horrified, Anthony realizes what he’s done, and he ends up being a lot more involved than he would have ever imagined.
2Ma (2019)
Octavia Spencer is best knownfor playing respectable, likable, and independent characters who have a take-charge attitude. However, Spencer wanted to be challenged with something different, so when asked to play a deceitful and sinister woman far from the point of redemption, she jumped at the chance.Madoes not rely on jump scares or a storyline that takes more than an hour to fully understand. Instead, it shows the very real horror that occurs when a vengeful and cruel person is able to take advantage of innocent kids.
Spencer plays a woman named Sue Ann who allows a group of teenagers to get drunk and party in her basement. When they are passed out, she steals from them, and one girl notices she has cuts and bruises when she wakes up. When confronted by the father of one of the young boys, Sue Ann has flashbacks to when she was a teenager and how she was humiliated by the man in front of the whole school. She then takes matters into her own hands and gets her revenge on everyone who made her feel ashamed for her actions.
1The Invitation (2022)
The Invitation-2022
Much likeGet Out,The Invitationexplores the theme of an individual being trapped by people who wish to take advantage of them. However, instead of the captors wanting the person for their superior features, these people wish to keep a young woman, Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel), in their possession due to a deal made between families centuries ago. This goes to show that Evie is thought of more as property than an individual.
Inspired by Bram Stoker’s 1897 novelDracula, this story follows a young woman who is simply curious about her family heritage, and when she is invited to England by a distant cousin, she jumps at the chance. However, when Evie realizes that she is to fulfill a promise made by her family long ago to a group of vampires, she desperately tries to flee. Knowing that she cannot outrun the group, Evie comes up with a clever plan to end the creatures forever, but she has to make a big sacrifice that could possibly cost her everything.
