Every once in a while, a director will come out of the shadows and present us with undeniably brilliant work that instantly makes them a more prominent name in the industry. Jordan Peele is one of those names. Peele is known for his acting chops, his work as a comedian, and most recently, as a director and filmmaker in the horror/thriller genre. If you are going to talk about horror movies in the modern era, you cannot miss talking about Peele’s work. From 2017s Get Out and 2019s Us to his even more recent movies like Nope, which is currently in theaters, Peele’s filmography is something to admire.
Peele’s works incorporate unique takes on the horror genre and seamlessly infuses social commentary in ways that could go completely over a consumer’s head. His films are as thought-provoking as they are inherently scary, and that is where the appeal lies. Peele has created some of the most memorable and thrilling scenes and shots that any movie lover will not forget no matter how hard they try. Now, if you want to relive the horror Peele’s movies have inflicted, take a seat and check out our ranking of some of the scariest scenes in his movies.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
10 It’s Raining Blood — Nope
Universal Productions
The latest entry to the Peele cinematic universe is an interesting one. Nope stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer in a wild, action-packed face-off with an unidentified flying object that is haunting Haywood Ranch. During one of the more terrifying encounters, Kaluuya’s character OJ is trapped outside while his sister Emerald (Palmer) is hiding in the house when the power goes out, hinting that the creature is overhead. Now, is it horror without a little blood? Soon enough, blood from the UFO’s mouth rains down on the ranch.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 An Open-Ended Ending — Us
MonkeyPaw Productions
The ending of Jordan Peele’s Us, although up for interpretation (as outlined by The Verge), will leave you completely dumbstruck and horrified. Before the credits roll, Adelaide, played by Lupita Nyong’o, and her son Jason have some unspoken dialogue as they drive away. The Adelaide the audience has been watching might actually be the tethered and Red is the original Adelaide we see in the beginning. In turn, Jason (who went through “something” the summer before) might also be the tethered from the underground tunnels. Either way, this open-ended ending will follow you home after watching this film.
8 Inside the Mouth of the Beast — Nope
Universal Pictures
Nope is the type of horror movie that utilizes the unknown and mystery as the main source of horror. While watching a show at Jupiter’s Claim, hosted by Jupe (Steven Yeun), the UFO/alien in the sky makes its move in one of the most terrifying sequences in the entire film. Jupe, the employees, and patrons are sucked up right into the mouth of the creature. From the horrific screams to the terrifying shot of the inside of the alien, this scene definitely stands out.
7 The Silent Auction — Get Out
Not knowing what is actually happening for a good chunk of a movie is a staple for Peele’s films. Everything downright creepy that went on throughout Get Out went pretty much unexplained or tied directly to the social commentary of racism in modern society for a while until this scene. When Chris and Rose go for a walk, the movie cuts back to the mysterious party of rich, white elites as they participate in a silent auction with Chris as the prize. Fear instills in the audience as certain pieces of this movie’s puzzle start putting themselves together, and we are left on the edge of our seats to see what happens next.
6 The Mirror Maze — Us
The opening sequence in Jordan Peele’s Us is one of his best because it just sets the tone in ways that capture the audience right off the bat. Here, we have a young Adelaide that wanders into a carnival mirror maze and comes face to face with her tethered self from the underground tunnels. The pairing of innocent nostalgia we all get from the maze and the danger and fear of the unknown is what bad dreams are made of.
5 Happy Birthday, Gordy — Nope
In Nope, it’s important to not overlook the Gordy’s Home plot line. Gordy the chimpanzee attacks the cast members of the show during his birthday episode while a young Jupe watches and hides. The contrast between the brightness of the set to the dark and gruesome massacre played out by Gordy will leave you with one of the most unsettling feelings bubbling inside your stomach. No matter how much you probably want to look away, this scene will have your eyes glued to the screen and the hairs on your arm standing straight up in the air.
4 Red’s Monologue — Us
Lupita Nyong’o. That’s it. Nyong’o’s performance in Us is one of the movie’s highlights and a huge reason why it is so scary to begin with. When the tethered face the family head-on in the living room, Red delivers a horrifying monologue on the haunting experience she had in the underground tunnels. The way she mirrored Adelaide’s life without experiencing any of the joy, miracles, happiness, or success has brought her and her broken family of tethers to a breaking point. Her scratchy and strained voice is hard to hear and the painful and eerie look on her face is equally hard to look at.
3 The Sunken Place — Get Out
Some may argue that 2015’s Get Out was the project that made Peele’s name become infamous in the director space. Well, this movie is responsible for some of the most iconic and terrifying moments in modern movie history. In particular, The Sunken Place is shown to audiences first when Chris is hypnotized by Rose’s mother and when it is revealed that Rose’s family is actually swapping the minds of their clients with the brains of the Black men and women they have lured to their home. This entire scene of Chris falling into a deep, endless pool of darkness is nightmare fuel personified. Imagine the feeling of sleep paralysis or an incredibly horrific lucid dream and that is what this scene makes us feel.
2 The Stairs — Get Out
Now, up until this point in the film, Get Out plays on the uncomfortable, look over your shoulder, unnerving kind of horror. However, in this scene, the mood shifts, and our stomachs begin to turn. When all the white people at the party stop talking all at once and look up the stairs after Chris goes up there, goosebumps rise, a shiver is sent straight up our spines, and our jaws drop in shock and in fear. It is difficult to explain the brilliance of Peele’s directing in this scene without actually watching it so if, for some crazy reason you have yet to watch Get Out, consider this your sign.
1 That’s Us…In The Driveway — Us
Peele uses the most “true-to-horror” elements in Us. However, he does it in such a refreshing and groundbreaking way that the introduction of the family’s tethers will go down in horror movie history. The family spots the tethered in the driveway of their vacation home, and for a while, they’re just standing there. That is, until they make a run for it and scatter to different points of the house, and then the panic settles into not just the characters, but in the audience. With possible intruders entering the home, the horrifying image of them standing in the dimly-lit driveway, accompanied by the unnerving score, this scene is Us has never left our minds and remains as one of Peele’s best horror-centric moments in his movies to date.
