Auteur

  Is Jordan Peele an Auteur? 

Jordan Peele is most definitely not just a filmmaker to me. Aside from his comedic traits, he’s a storyteller who knows how to make his audience feel uncomfortable and nervous in the very best way possible. After watching Get Out, Us, and Nope, multiple times I really do believe he is an auteur. His movies don’t rely only on jump scares, creepy music or special effects like traditional horror. They dig super deep into very real issues while still keeping you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails. Every time I watch one of his films, I can always tell it’s his. There’s a certain tone, a certain rhythm, music, and a meaning behind everything that feels completely his own. His fillms are so different from tradition. 

In Get Out (2017), Peele takes something simple, like meeting your boy/girlfriends family, and turns it into something extremely terrifying. One scene that will always stick with me when watching his films is when Chris falls into what they refer to as the “sunken place.” This is like out turning point in the movie. The way he’s floating in darkness while his body stays still feels claustrophobic, like he’s trapped inside a different version of himself. The sound fades until it’s almost silent, which makes it even more haunting. It’s more than just a scary moment. This movie mostly shows how racism can make someone feel powerless and unseen. That’s what I love about Peele’s work. He uses horror(More or less thrillers) to show the extremely uncomfortable truths about our society. 

Then there’s Us (2019), which dives into the idea of duality and identity. The whole concept of the “tethered” people being the dark reflections of ourselves is both creepy and smart. The mirrors, the matching red jumpsuits, the scissors, all have a deeper meaning. Even the slowed down version of “I Got 5 On It” adds this really eerie feeling that sticks with you the entire movie. I remember when I  was watching it for the first time and realizing how Peele can take normal things and twist them into something super disturbing. He doesn’t just want you to watch his films. He wants you to think about them long after they’re over. And understand a issues he sees. 

Nope (2022) feels different at first, but it still carries Peele’s signature touch. On the surface, it’s about a UFO, but underneath, it’s a story about attention, exploitation, and control. The way he shoots the open skies makes everything feel huge and lonely at the same time. The quiet moments are what really got me. The silence makes you wait, anxious for what’s coming next. Peele knows how to control the pace of his stories so you’re never completely at ease. 

Across all three films, Peele’s voice is clear. He tells stories about fear, power, and human nature while mixing it with unforgettable visuals and sound. Every choice he makes feels intentional. To me, that’s what makes someone an auteur. Peele doesn’t just make movies to scare people. He makes them to hold up a mirror to the world and make us think. That’s why I thinl that Jordan Peele as one of the most original and important directors working todayto my knowledge.