Nope

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Steven Yeun, Keith David, Wrenn Schmidt, Donna Mills, Eddie Jemison
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction
2022

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A horse trainer (Daniel Kaluuya) and his sister (Keke Palmer) begin to suspect there is an extraterrestrial presence near their isolated ranch.

Review:

Tim: I love how Jordan Peele has quickly emerged as one of the brightest and most exciting directors working in horror. People loved Get Out and Us. I really liked both those movies, but I have to admit, I was slightly more muted than most critics. I really liked them, but I don't think either film was great. Peele has greatness in him, just not in his first two films. That trend continues with Nope, a film I thoroughly enjoyed. It's probably Peele's most accessible film from a total audience perspective, although he doesn't play it safe here. He continues to subvert our expectations, this time with the story. He delivers a film that isn't quite the movie we thought it would be. I loved that. Nope is definitely more of a crowd-pleaser than his first two films, but it does have several flaws, which once again, prevent it from achieving greatness. That being said, Peele has now delivered three incredible films in a genre where so many fail. I'll watch every movie Peele makes- he's that talented.

I think I enjoyed Nope more than his first two films. Get Out is probably a bit better because of its immensely deep themes. Nope is a film in a similar vein, but the social commentary feels more muted. You have to work a bit harder to identify it, whereas Get Out lead with it. That translates into a film that feels more enjoyable, although you do miss the incredible depths that Peele achieved with his first two films. This film, interesting, seems to telegraph exactly where it's going and tells you early on what kind of movie it's going to be. The whole path ahead of the film feels so obvious, we can almost see it. And then, brilliantly, Peele takes the film in a different direction. It's a subtle shift, but at a certain point, you look up and realize the movie is not what we expected. Peele doesn't pull the rug out from under the audience, he just slowly shifts the film where he wants it to go. The result is a movie that feels fascinating- you wonder how he set us up to expect one thing (your typical UFO film) and delivers something quite different. It speaks to Peele's ability as a writer and a director.

The cast was really effective. I loved Daniel Kaluuya in the lead role. Kaluuya has quickly emerged as one of the most talented, exciting actors working in Hollywood today. He's not thrusting himself into the limelight, he's not yet a "movie star", but he's exceptionally talented. His performances are always so nuanced, so powerfully delivered. His performance here is restrained and muted, but it's incredible. He conveys so much emotion with his eyes alone, it's stunning. I'd watch Kaluuya in literally anything. He's the ideal actor to work with Peele- he's able to bring this sense of vulnerability and raw humanity to every role. Kaluuya is fantastic here. This isn't the kind of movie or role that generates Academy Award nominations, but it's still excellent.

I struggled a bit with Keke Palmer. I haven't been overly impressed with her in the few films I've seen of hers. I think she has talent as an actress, but it feels like she puts up a wall to the audience. Kaluuya lets us in, establishes an emotional connection. Palmer always seems to keep the audience at a distance. She has some great moments throughout the film, but I don't think she was quite as effective as some of the other cast members. I wanted to like her performance more than I actually did. Brandon Perea adds a surprisingly effective supporting performance. He kind of randomly shows up and slowly makes a big impact on the final film. I really enjoyed what he did here. I also loved the casting of Michael Wincott. He hasn't had quite the career he should have. I'll always love him for his performance in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. He delivers an exceptional supporting performance here, bringing world weariness and gravitas to the role. It's smaller, but critical to the film. I also loved the performance of Steven Yeun. His character ultimately feels oddly unnecessary to the film, but Yeun gives an unforgettable performance. I desperately wish he had more to do and was more central to the film. He's such a good actor. I also loved seeing Keith David in a small role.

Peele definitely delivers an unexpected story, but it's his talent as a director that really adds to this and makes the movie more enjoyable. The cinematography was remarkable- you find your eyes constantly scanning the clouds as the movie progresses. He is able to capture this unsettling feeling throughout the film. The image of people looking up into the sky in fear is primordial to humans. It touches something buried deep in our DNA. I loved how Peele framed and shot this film. It's interesting that this is truly a science fiction film- the horror aspects are surprisingly downplayed, especially as the movie progresses. It's not a scary movie, as much as unsettling and then exciting. I also have to say, the title is perfect. Nope felt like such a commentary from Peele on the differences between the historical horror movies featuring dumb white people making stupid decisions, and the kind of film he's trying to tell. His main protagonists are black and they approach the events in a different way. One of the best scenes is when Kaluuya sees something creepy approaching him and wisely just mutters, "Nope" and tries to get out of there. It's a small moment, but it's Peele showing that you can bring intelligence and a sense of realism to genre films. There's a lot of moments like this throughout the film.

Nope is the third exceptionally well made film that Jordan Peele has delivered in a row. He pulls back some on the visible social commentary and ramps up the excitement and entertainment factors. It translates into a movie that still has much more depth than your average science fiction film, but is still enjoyable to watch. I love that Peele is making these genre films with the eye of an auteur. Nope is a movie I thoroughly enjoyed and I cannot wait to see Peele's next film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Get Out, Us, Judah and the Black Messiah