Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Get Out Blu-ray Movie Review

Come On In.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 15, 2017

Odd, unique, scary, funny, exhilarating, violent...these are just a few of the adjectives that describe Jordan Peele's Get Out, the story of a young African-American and his unique experiences while meeting his white girlfriend's affluent family. Peele, of Key & Peele fame, sets aside the funny business that most associate with his persona and, in his directorial debut, dazzles with a narrative that balances expert characterization and timely social commentary with bone-chilling Horror. The film plays with an unnerving edge and exponentially progresses towards its shocking climax, lulling the viewer and the character into a false sense of security and only gradually cranking up the oddity until the film explodes in its third act, as truths are revealed, as the story turns upside down. Simultaneously smart and thrilling, it makes for a great watch and portends great things for its writer/director.

The couple.

Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) is a young African-American and aspiring professional photographer. He's dating a white girl named Rose Armitage (Allison Williams). The relationship has progressed to the point that Rose believes it's time for Chris to meet her parents. He's nervous at the prospect, fearing they will reject him for his race, but she reassures them they're good, open-minded people with no racial animosity. They arrive, and Chris is welcome with open arms. But the situation rubs him the wrong way. While Rose's parents Dean (Bradley Whitford), a neurosurgeon, and Missy (Catherine Keener), a therapist and hypnotist, treat him with respect, he becomes gradually more uncomfortable. It doesn't help when Rose's uneven, oddly behaved brother (Caleb Landry Jones), arrives and exacerbates Chris' discomfort. The help around the house is black, and Chris gets the feeling that there's something off about everyone around him. A large gathering of Armitage family friends arrives, and while Chris is treated "well," he can't help but feel as if there's something wrong in the way he's approached and spoken to. Things get more mysterious, and dangerous, as Chris comes to realize that what he's experiencing is far more than social awkwardness.

Peele carefully crafts the movie in such a way that, at least in the second act and arguably all the way through to the end, it's never quite clear what is real, what is not. Once the second act begins, the movie takes on a drastically different tone, one in which, after Chris has been "hypnotized," there's a surreal quality about the way he sees things. People behave oddly. Everything feels "off." Is it a byproduct of his reactionary mind, fearing the worst in white people, or is it just as simple as well-meaning individuals who have yet to make the proper connection between their hearts and their words, who stumble about to stay on the right side of political correctness? The movie again takes on a third gear and substantially different styling in its third act, too. Peele leaves the audience on its toes, crafting a true three-act story that sees Chris pushed through the ringer emotionally and physically alike. His fears materialize, but fears he never could have imagined materialize, too. It's brilliant plotting and storytelling. The movie feels always transformative, unafraid of pushing boundaries and certainly unafraid of making rather big leaps from one style to another, from one layer of commentary to another. The film's balance between keen social commentary and straight action and horror elements give it a very unique flavor. Peele's ability to find that middle ground between cinematic excitement and artful manipulation of the medium to comment on social issues is superb. The film is never too overt, never too covert; it's beautifully balanced between "fun" and "smart," "edgy" and "purposeful," a multifaceted balance that few films have ever achieved.

As the narrative is balanced in a controlled but unpredictable and slyly evocative manner, so too is the lead performance. While Jordan Peele, who is unquestionably the star here, lays the groundwork, his lead actor, Daniel Kaluuya, interprets the material with striking efficiency and depth. His apprehensions are tangible at the beginning, his confusion and discomfort in the second, and his fear but determination in the third. It's a solid journey, not a transformational character arc but certainly an adaptive one. Kaluuya understands the character and Peele's demands for him very well, and Peele compliments that commitment and his actor's mastery with superlative direction that sees the meshing of Daniel Kaluuya's performance with Peele's uncanny knack for capturing it in a way that accentuates it, draws attention to the necessary points of emphasis with a natural grace and clarity that suits the material and the film medium equally well. This is the character-driven Thriller near its best, blending deeply rooted social issues with scares that results in a unique creation from a first-time filmmaker.

Get Out Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Get Out's digitally sourced image presents on 1080p Blu-ray nicely. It never looks like anything but video, but high end video, at least, that offers a good color palette and razor-sharp details. Indeed, colors are the definition of "neutral." There's no over-saturation, filtering, or lack of depth and nuance. It's an organic, everyday palette that compliments the movie nicely in its first two acts. Its darkened third act offers deep, dependable nighttime black levels that never struggle to hold detail or depth. Even source noise isn't much of an issue in black backgrounds or lower-light interiors. Flesh tones appear accurate to the many diverse shades seen in the film. Detailing is terrific. Faces are ultra-sharp and very revealing, showing off pores, beards, and wrinkles with striking ease. Environments are clean and well detailed, whether finely appointed furnishings in the home or grasses and leaves outside. The image maintains sharpness along every frame and across every edge and corner. No serious compression or source ailments are evident. This is a terrific new release transfer from Universal.

Get Out Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Get Out features a well-rounded DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack with everything in balanced harmony. Music offers excellent foundational width and depth. Instrumental clarity is excellent and low-end accompaniment is terrific, varying by type of music, of course, but always deeply supportive and room-filling as necessary. The track offers a nice, complimentary atmospheric presentation. Exterior natural ambience is well spaced and organically immersive. Chatty groups at the outdoor get-together fill the stage with banter. Heavier effects in the third act offer strong, prominent definition. A few gunshots are incredibly powerful. Several crashes and sound effects that come about as part of various struggles are likewise well defined and perfectly positioned. Dialogue drives much of the film, and it's presented with natural clarity and prioritization from its front-center location.

Get Out Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Get Out contains an alternate ending, deleted scenes, a featurette, a Q&A, and a commentary track. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.

• Alternate Ending (1080p, 3:39): With optional Jordan Peele commentary.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 23:02 total runtime): Rose Hypnosis, Extended Rutherford, Badminton, Sunken Place Deer, Detective Latoya Extended, Rod Arrival 1 Sex Slave, Rod Arrival 2 Don't Give Up on Love, Rod Arrival 3 White Girls, Rod Arrival 4 Cousin Single, Rod Arrival 5 Bathroom, and Rod Arrival 6 Rose's Vote. With optional Jordan Peele commentary. The various "arrival" scenes offer alternate takes from the film's climax.
• Unveiling the Horror of Get Out (1080p, 8:50): A quick look at the movie's structure, similar films, crafting a Thriller/Horror film in Peele's voice, issues of race in the film, Peele's work as director, themes, and more.
• Q&A Discussion with Writer/Director Jordan Peele and the Cast (1080p, 5:28): Chance the Rapper hosts Peele, Lil Rel Howery, Daniel Kaluuya, and Allison Williams, who briefly chat about the film.
• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Jordan Peele discusses the film detail: themes, characters, cast, the process, and much more. A solid track for the first-timer.

Get Out Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Get Out might not be a cinematic master work, but it certainly approaches that lofty level. Smart and timely on one hand, gripping and scary on the other, very unique, and backed up by near flawless writing and directing and a top-class performance from its lead, there's precious little not to love about Jordan Peele's debut feature Get Out. Universal's Blu-ray is equally capable, offering rock-solid 1080p video and 5.1 lossless audio paired with a few quality supplements. Very highly recommended.