The Trailer For Karen Has Twitter Melting Down
Some say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery — but is that always the case? A prime example of this age-old question is currently taking over Twitter, thanks to an upcoming horror release whose trailer recently dropped. The crime drama, aptly titled "Karen," stars Taryn Manning as an entitled white woman who gets new neighbors: a Black couple named Malik (Cory Hardrict) and Imani (Jasmine Burke). An overt racist, Karen does everything she can to get the couple to leave, from microaggressions to enlisting the help of the local corrupt police.
People who saw the trailer were quick to note that "Karen" seems awfully familiar to the work of auteur Jordan Peele; namely, his 2017 horror film "Get Out." While "Get Out" was applauded for its satirical look at racism and smart cultural commentary, fans have noted that "Karen" is on the complete opposite spectrum, and is perhaps a bit too on the nose.
Karen looks like a Get Out rip-off
After watching the trailer, Twitter users were quick to make their opinions about "Karen" known, and many seem to agree that it looks like a less impressive version of "Get Out." @urmom2708 wrote "What Jordan peele "get out" snl skit nonsense is this?? No one asked for a movie about a murderous Karen," and even the prolific writer Roxane Gay asked, "Is that Karen movie preview... an SNL thing or is it real?"
Another user named @Raininsleep summed up many of the other reactions on the social media platform: "That Karen movie isn't being subtle at all. [...] Jordan Peele really set the bar high with his film Get Out. It seems that filmmakers following his lead only get showing racism, but forget the subtle references and themes that Peele did in his film."
Peele himself hasn't commented on the upcoming film, but it's safe to say that "Karen" isn't expected to make quite the impact that "Get Out" did, and will likely not be considered among 2021's best horror movies. Nevertheless, it's sparking important discussions about the future of horror filmmaking and Peele's legacy as an auteur.