Get Out Review: Jordan Peele’s Genre-Defining Thriller That Still Holds Up

   February 6, 2025

What more can be said about Get Out that hasn’t already been written? Jordan Peele’s directorial debut was an instant cultural and cinematic phenomenon—one of those rare films that completely redefines its genre while achieving both critical and commercial success. It was a movie that not only announced Peele as one of the most exciting new filmmakers of the decade but also proved that horror could be both socially charged and immensely entertaining. While Us confirmed that Get Out was no fluke, and Nope showcased Peele’s ability to handle blockbuster-scale storytelling, it all started with this razor-sharp psychological thriller that remains just as effective years later.

Get Out (2017)
Get Out (2017)

For Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out was a breakout moment. While he had already delivered a memorable performance in Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario (2015), this was his first major leading role—and he completely owns it. His performance as Chris, a young black man visiting his white girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) family for the weekend, is the emotional anchor of the film. The slow, creeping dread as Chris navigates the unsettling atmosphere of Rose’s seemingly progressive family—played to eerie perfection by Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, and Caleb Landry Jones—is what makes Get Out so rewatchable.

Peele’s script is masterfully constructed, layering seemingly innocuous conversations with double meanings that only fully register on repeat viewings. Every interaction Chris has with Rose’s family takes on a new, chilling significance once the film’s full scope is revealed. What first appears to be awkward but well-meaning racial ignorance is something far more insidious, and Peele brilliantly balances social satire with psychological horror in a way few filmmakers have ever done.

Beyond its storytelling, Get Out also reinvented the modern horror landscape. Its success solidified the popularity of what some call “elevated horror”—a term that has since been applied to films like Hereditary, The Witch, and The Babadook. While the wave of imitators that followed didn’t always match Get Out’s ingenuity, the film itself remains a landmark of 2010s cinema.

Even now, Get Out is a remarkable achievement: an unsettling, intelligent thriller that has stood the test of time. It’s the kind of directorial debut that only comes around once in a generation, and with each film he’s made since, Jordan Peele has only continued to prove why he’s one of the most compelling filmmakers working today.

Score: 8/10

Get Out (2017)

More Movies Directed by Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele has directed the following movies:

More Movies Starring Daniel Kaluuya

Daniel Kaluuya has starred in the following movies:

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