Nope (2022)

 

Genre: Horror/Sc-fi                    Time: 2h 10mins                    Director: Jordan Peele

Quick Summary: Two siblings running a horse ranch in California discover something wonderful and sinister in the skies above, while the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

Nope places emphasis on smart camerawork over quick, witty dialogue in its bid to make audiences fear what lurks in the dark. Not only does this give the film its main theme, but feels like Jordan Peele is telling us what we are in store for immediatly.

 Daniel Kaluuya has been one of the most fascinating and entraining actors of the last few years and yet again he is given the opportunity to show his range. His previous performance in Jordan Peele’s debut film Get Out put him on the map and now this proves he’s not going anywhere which I'm really glad about, I really do like him. Keke Palmer is also great, it’s my first time seeing her on the big screen and she didn’t disappoint, she was constantly engaging and entertaining, she nails down the comic timing of Peele’s tight script, so too does Brandon Perea who plays Angel Torres, a tech worker who provides some great comedic relief, but soon becomes a stand-out supporting player throughout the film, and by the end the trio made for lots of great interactions.

They all worked really well together, even with their three distinct personalities, nobody felt overshone or was talking the spotlight.

Claasic Peel fashion is to build tension and fear of the unknown and he does this by slowly spoon feeding the audience information to constantly keep you egar for more. There are no cheap jump scares thrown in our faces or surprises out of nowhere. The film builds suspense like an old Hitchcock thriller, yet what the film manages to do so wonderfully is be unquie still. Nope' can often be ponderous and there are sections that feel clumsily paced. But with this film, Peele has once again crafted an original film brimming with fascinating ideas.

There is one thing I really want to praise this film for and it is the sound work. These parts create the tensest, most suspenseful moments of the film that really immerse you into the film. All the little subtle things like horses neighing or echoing screams, or even the amazing score, it really add to the most powerful scenes. As well as this many of the suspenseful scenes where the "mysterious entity" first appears are set at night, and the countryside landscape is illuminated in a very natural way. There are few light sources, so those tiny spots of light create deep, dark and long shadows that dominate the frame. This creates such a creepy atmosphere when really it shouldn't do. But this film really plays on the fear of the unknown, that is what really heightens this fim. 

Another thing I would like to note is the special effects. They were honestly so well done, even the sky was CGI. Which I think is amazing considering how well detailed it was, I actually thought it was the real natural sky. 

There is one thing I kinda had a problem with and that was as the story progresses, Peele abandons the mystery of its main storyline, as the characters figure things out. Once the mystery melts away though, there’s very little to be afraid of or interested in. By the time we get to the final act and the wrapping of things up, the tension has leaked out. I also felt a little confused about a subplot, which I won't fully talk about, but I wasn't sure how it linked in with the main story. It did very much enjoy they subplot, don't get me wrong, but trying to figure out the theme of it gave me a headache. 

This film is amazing visually and audially, but I feel like it's themes got a little buried. Although I still very much recommend this.

8/10

"Don't Look Him In The Eye."

"It Was A One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flyin' Purple People-Eater."

"We Don't Deserve The Impossible."