In 2017, known skit writer Jordan Peele made his directorial debut in horror with “Get Out,” and once again he has returned to the craft with the incredibly bizarre horror film, “Us.”

The plot of “Us” follows the Wilson family as they spend the weekend at their beach house in Santa Cruz. However, the trip takes a turn for the worst as the family finds themselves in a fight for their lives against an insane family that appear to be their doppelgangers, as well as discovering there is a secret society of clones known as the Tethered, who have copies for every citizen in America with enigmatic motivations for their homicidal rampage.

The idea behind “Us” is not exactly what one would call original, but that is not necessarily a weakness of the film. The film’s strength is its execution of the classic concept of insane clone rampages. This execution lies in its excellent suspense, as well as the believable characters. The film’s suspense is excellent in that it creates a horrifying atmosphere with no shred of hope for the Wilson family, who are portrayed as a quite likable family. This lack of hope makes for an engrossing horror film, in that the audience will constantly be on edge as to how or if the family will escape a conflict of such an unknown scale. This level of terror is also made possible through the incredibly emotional performances of the protagonists, as well as the primarily taciturn antagonists.

“Us” is also noteworthy in that, due to the nature of the antagonists being an entire isolated society of clones, it examines philosophical ideas of human traits and how critical upbringing is for healthy development of organic life. This idea is conveyed well toward the end of the film when the motivations and origins of the Tethered are made known to the audience in a memorable climax.

It should be noted that “Us” is not exactly a perfect film. While the performances are excellent for the most part, the dual performance of lead actress Lupita Nyong’o can cross into campy levels when she veers away from her human protagonist counterpart and into the performance of her doppelganger, who is also the only member of the Tethered who can actually speak beyond animalistic groans. The physical performance of her as the leader of the Tethered is chilling, but when she begins to speak, the scratchy voice can either be haunting to the viewer or incredibly comical and slightly obnoxious, depending on the viewer.

The film’s most noteworthy trait, in addition to its horrifying atmosphere, would be the incredibly well-handled twist towards the end of the film, which will almost resonate with viewers, regardless of whether or not they actually enjoy the film. On a second viewing, one will be able to appreciate this twist much more due to its subtle buildup throughout the film and execution in the finale.

“Us” is definitely a recommended viewing. It is competently paced, acted and written. The film is a terrifying experience, which is essential for that of a classic horror film.