
‘Nope’ – Review
There’s nothing better than a big screen spectacle and Jordan Peele’s Nope embodies the excitement of why we like to go to the cinema in every way possible.
Two siblings, OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em (Keke Palmer), 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.
Let it be known that Jordan Peele is a filmmaker with his finger on the pulse. Not only has he re-made comedy television with his revered work as part of cult comedy act Key & Peele, but he’s now taking over the horror genre and has found entirely new avenues to stretch the genre in. With his unique flair, Peele scared the hell out of audiences with his previous two films Get Out and Us, and now he’s ready to do the same with Nope. And this one’s his best yet. With a style all his own Peele spins a deeply suspenseful narrative in what is one of the year’s most original horror features, and this one will scare the hell out of you!
While I can’t dive into any particular deep plot elements of Nope, as this is a film that should be savoured in the showing and is best enjoyed going in totally blind, I will say that its success is down to Peele’s singular vision for the story. Stepping into the realm of other-worldly visitors, Peele brings a considerable threat to his film and his direction has you on a razor’s edge. Mixing horror, science fiction and comedy leads to something unique in Nope and the originality of its presentation strikes a chord with audiences who are seeking subject matter that is different and new. Peele is fine with being edgy, but more importantly, he’s ready to take risks and try new creative ideas and all of it benefits the experience of Nope.
Peele has also been adept at casting his movies and he again absolutely lucks out with Nope. Re-teaming with Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya is again a big win for Peele and Kaluuya brings a stoical, reserved quality to the role of Otis Haywood Jr. or OJ. Kaluuya jumps into the character and you completely buy into his stance as a horse trainer and cowboy. Playing off of Kaluuya’s OJ and being very much the foil is Emerald Haywood or Em (Keke Palmer), his jumpy, ditsy, flighty sister who has reluctantly returned to the family ranch and their Hollywood horse training business. Em is all about the quick buck and is a real juxtaposition to OJ and this leads to plenty of interesting drama that builds between the two characters.
Steven Yeun makes an about-face turn as mercurial showman Ricky “Jupe” Park, a former child star with a very shady past who has decided to profit in some very dark ways, and it’s a very different performance from Yeun than we’re used to seeing. Brandon Perea brings a considerably skittish performance to the big screen with his role as Angel Torres, a technology salesman who jumps into the action with the Haywood’s and his nervy performance adds considerable tension to the story. Finally, there’s the always dependable Michael Wincott who turns up as Hollywood cinematographer Antlers Holst and his appearance in Nope lends the film a moody gravitas.
As an exercise in sheer horror and suspense, Nope will have you on the edge the whole way through. Honing his craft with Get Out and Us, Peele is now a master of the horror genre and he knows how to keep his audiences paranoia geared up. And damn does it make for a very scary watch. Two key factors that add to the suspense of Nope include its use of cinematography and sound design. Best experienced in IMAX the sound design of Johnnie Burn brings a harrowing sense of fear that washes over the audience. Burn builds out a sense of tensuon thanks to his manipulation of sound, and paired with the scoring of composer Michael Abels, Nope is a film that holds you in a vice of fright. Noted cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema adds to the thrills of Nope and his camera work pulls you in deeper to the narrative, particularly during the third act.
Nope is a film that I can describe as being deeply cinematic and it promises the sheer big screen spectacle that audiences have been missing for some time. It’s a complete work from beginning to end, and is a testament to why new ideas matter to the art of cinema and that directors should exist as artists who are ready to push the boundaries of the art form. It strikes a perfect balance between horror and comedy, and when viewed as a sheared audience, it’s cinema just the way we like it. Everything about Nope comes together as a cinematic work and it also happens to be one hell of a rush.
Jordan Peele’s Nope is one of the year’s most fascinating releases. It’s a horror film that will give you one hell of a fright but will also pull you into its fascinating story of otherworldly contact, and intense fight for survival. For audiences looking for some big screen thrills, Nope is a guaranteed awesome watch.
Image: Universal Pictures