"Get Out": A Horror Commentary About Racism | Review and Analysis

2017- Horror/Thriller

***Spoilers Ahead***

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Starting with the 2017 horror/thriller Oscar nominated hit, Get Out. Get Out, written and directed by first-time director, Jordan Peele, was a box office success due to its political statement cleverly disguised under an inconspicuous genre. Through its use of metaphors, symbolism, and detailed cinematography, the story, notably marketed as a horror film, quickly sets itself apart to be different than the standard thriller flick. Instead, this film touches on a topic that’s still very much, unfortunately, prevalent in modern society, acting as a social critique that takes the movie to a much deeper level.

Furthermore, by masterfully blending social commentary with comedy, horror, and thriller, there’s no question as to why this film received many accolades, including four Academy Award nominations; one of the few horror films able to nab a slot in the eyes of Oscar voters.

The story starts off with a white girl, Rose, bringing her black boyfriend, Chris, home to meet her parents. Chris is concerned whether her parents know that he’s black, asking her the heavy-hitting question, “Do they know I’m black?” Chris is, rightfully, worried about this issue seeing as race does still play a factor in the world today where not everyone has become accepting of other racial groups, particularly of black citizens.

As such, Rose continually tries to reassure Chris of his worries, while the slightly apprehensive Chris goes along with it. Upon meeting her family, however, it became clear that this seemingly welcoming family was unordinary.

In fact, rather than being outwardly racist, the family attempts to do the opposite by repeatedly mentioning information they believe will garner Chris’s approval, such as how Rose’s father stated he would’ve “voted for Obama a third time” if he could. This, to me, was an interesting take because, rather than targeting the distinctly obvious group of racists out there, Peele went for white liberals that play emphasis on how “accepting” they are of those from different backgrounds.

It showcased how, even though it appears some white liberals are tolerant of others, it actually has an underlying form of racism due to how much they try to emphasize their accepting nature. Singling others out by consistently praising their differences can make those you claim to accept feel as though you are superior to them while reminding them of dissimilarities to you.

This was further emphasized when Chris was being praised by Rose’s brother for his “genetic makeup”, while those at the annual party thrown by Rose’s parents felt the need to discuss Chris’s physical features and abilities. The movie felt as if it was a commentary on the self-congratulatory nature of white liberals who believe their openminded and tolerant, but, in actuality, do not have the deep understanding of what it means to be equal. It not only made Chris uncomfortable, but viewers as well, which was exactly the response Peele was going for.

In continuation, I feel as though it’s important to touch on the symbolism in this movie, as there was so much, and I felt it was what elevated this film to the next level. This movie was absolutely INCREDIBLE at utilizing symbolism to connect to the message that was being conveyed! For instance, Rose’s family’s house looks similar to a plantation, and the outfits and way hypnotized black folk were speaking was meant to reference slavery – as if to provide visual and auditorial reference to viewers of the tragic past with slavery that’s traces, and ideologies, still exist within our current society today.

In another instance, an auction was being held whilst Chris’s photo was place at the forefront. Scarily, the party guests at the annual family event had been auctioning to decide who gets to transfer themselves into Chris’s body. This action, again, had similarity to old slave times in which slaves were being auctioned off for white people to use their physical labor, body, and skills. In this film, white people believed black people to have higher physical abilities, so they wanted to utilize them for themselves, essentially gaining control of them and reducing them to slaves, as seen in the past.

Now, my last reference of notability was one I found to probably be my favorite! During slavery times, slaves had primarily been used to pick cotton, as slavery was built on the foundation of cotton production, stripping many black people of their freedom. However, to save himself from being hypnotized, Chris had picked cotton and placed it in his ears to block out the sound that would essentially force him into slavery. Chris had picked the cotton to save his life, leaving me to feel as though an action that once deprived black people of their freedom was used to take back control of his life; thus, regaining his autonomy again.

To conclude, this film was brilliant, and I absolutely love how Peele managed to completely elevate this horror film. As a black person, I often feel saddened how most black-centered movies revolve around slave topics, and how much black characters in horror films are made to be the comedic relief that ultimately dies. However, Peele did an interesting spin where he incorporated racism and slavery topics, as well as made a black-centered horror movie, by destroying the typical way we view black characters in those roles whilst placing it in the modern perspective.

The comedic friend did not die, but rather was the one to save Chris and warn him of the potentially dangerous situation. The white family was not overtly racist plantation owners, but rather a family that believed they were accepting and appreciative of black people. Overall, the movie was not one-dimensional, as it featured many underlying elements to add to its replay value for years to come. Get Out truly deserved all the praise and nominations it received, remaining as a great film that’s highly worth the watch!