Despite his popularity as a prolific comedian, starring in sketch comedy shows like Mad TV and Key & Peele, Jordan Peele has now become one of the greatest horror filmmakers in the world. Initially beginning his Hollywood career with 2016’s Keanu, acting in front of the camera and co-writing the screenplay, Peele would go on to write and produce films like Candyman and Wendell & Wild.
But nothing comes close to Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, Get Out. The film starring Daniel Kaluuya became a horror hit, revealing how Peele’s ability to mine social issues into insightful, expertly-timed comedy made him a preternaturally gifted horror storyteller. Soon, he churned out two other horror flicks that proved that his directorial debut wasn’t a fluke. So today, we’re gonna rank all three horror films directed by Jordan Peele.
3. Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s second feature film, Us, is often considered the least strong of his three directorial efforts, but that doesn’t mean that the film isn’t worth watching. Considering how Peele has only three feature films, all of which are high in quality, Us comparatively acquired the last place on this list. Yet it’s hailed as a fantastic, twist-heavy thriller/horror film.
It uses the simple concept of doppelgängers and transforms it into a chilling exploration of identity, privilege, and the divide between those who live in the light and those forced into the shadows. The story follows Lupita Nyong’o’s Adelaide Wilson, her husband Gabe (played by Winston Duke), and their children as they take a family vacation to the beach.
Now, what should have been a relaxing vacation turns into horror when the family is confronted by twisted duplicates of themselves. These unsettling doppelgängers are identical versions of all the main characters who are surprisingly bloodthirsty. They’re known as The Tethered, who mirror their appearances but embody a more violent, unsettling nature.
As the film proceeds, the story starts getting more chaotic, and then there’s an exploration of where these people came from and what they might want. That’s where Peele creates an atmosphere of dread, and the story starts unfolding with layers of tension and revelation. Overall, Us builds from an intimate family story into a larger, more chaotic spectacle.
Not to mention, Lupita Nyong’o’s performance as both Adelaide and her double, Red, highlights not just her acting skills but also Peele’s talent in extracting extraordinary performances from his actors. But if you ask about the thematic side of Us
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If you rewatch Us and look closely each time, the film will offer new details and possibilities for interpretation, which is why, even as the most uneven of Jordan Peele’s works, Us remains a tense, disturbing, and thought-provoking horror film that manages to blend social commentary with great storytelling.
HIM Trailer: Jordan Peele Channels Eyes Wide Shut in Violent Sports Horror
2. Nope (2022)
Next in line is Jordan Peele’s third film, Nope, where he got even more ambitious compared to Us. With Get Out, we got a small and intimate setting, and Us delivered an allegorical nightmare, but with Nope, Peele reached blockbuster scale. Blending horror and science fiction, this film appeared both familiar and daringly new.
Nope plays with sci-fi, UFO-related intrigue, and offers plenty of sequences that also make the movie feel like something of an unusual adventure/Western flick. The story revolves around siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood, who run their family’s horse ranch in California, and who suddenly discover what they think might be a UFO.
Turns out, struggling to sustain the business, the siblings discover a mysterious object in the sky that they suspect may be a UFO. And now, instead of fleeing, they seek to document it, hoping to capture undeniable evidence and help with their financial strains. But what begins as curiosity escalates into a tense battle of survival against a terrifying phenomenon.
Meanwhile, beyond the basic storyline, Nope also delivers sharp commentary on the entertainment industry and references to extremely old cinema. Like, dating back to 1878, Sallie Gardner at a Gallop plays a part in the backstory of the main characters. Additionally, this film comes off as an example of slow-burning horror from Peele.
The filmmaker deliberately played with the pacing, slowly revealing glimpses of the unidentified entity while allowing suspense to build. Basically, much like the shark in Jaws, the UFO’s nature in Nope is withheld from the audience until the final act, in order to heighten tension. And the result is an eerie mystery and horror, filled with spectacle.
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While this movie is slower and more methodical than Jordan Peele’s earlier films, Nope never feels too slow. Instead, with the desert setting, the unnerving silences, and the escalating encounters, the film transforms itself into one of the most distinctive science fiction horrors of recent years. Nope shows that Peele has what it takes to make entertainment on a blockbuster scale.
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1. Get Out (2017)
Hands down, Jordan Peele’s 2017 film Get Out remains his most defining work and a landmark moment for modern horror cinema. After all, only a few directorial debuts have managed to feel as confident or game-changing on the same level as Get Out. It’s on the smallest scale of his three movies, and yet it feels the closest to perfect.
This film sets Peele apart as a director who can fuse horror thrills with biting social commentary in a way that feels urgent and fresh. Overall, the narrative is straightforward, and it begins with Chris, a young Black man, who visits the family estate of his white girlfriend for the first time. And initially, the tension seems rooted in awkwardness and cultural difference.
But as Daniel Kaluuya’s Chris starts spending more time with the family, strange behaviors and unsettling encounters make him suspect that something far more sinister is occurring. So gradually, what begins as social discomfort spirals into outright horror, with the second half of the film being filled with shocking revelations that are super intense.
Now, what distinguishes Get Out and makes it Jordan Peele’s best movie of all time is its sharp commentary on racism, particularly the bold yet subtle prejudices that often go unaddressed in cinema. Like, while Hollywood has long explored bigotry, Peele directed attention towards the harsh and insidious reality of liberal racism.
You know, the kind where people try to be fair and treat everyone equally by refusing to address differences based on skin color. When in reality it only tends to ignore the historical and ongoing realities of racial inequality. It’s the type of subtle “well-meaning” racism that masks control and exploitation.
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So, this is what made the film resonate strongly with audiences, sparking discussions that extended far beyond its runtime. Meanwhile, beyond the horror and the thought-provoking stuff, Get Out also works well with audiences because of how well-written and well-paced it is, alongside its moments of humor that keep audiences engaged instead of diverting attention.
So naturally, this makes Get Out not just Jordan Peele’s best film to date (which won him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay) but also one of the most influential horror films of the 21st century.
Share your opinions on which Jordan Peele film remains your favorite of all time.
