Jordan Peele has the kind of “phenom” status maybe not seen since the earliest days of Tarantino. His first two films, Get Out and Us, were critical and commercial successes, as well as artistic achievements. Peele even won the Academy Award for the screenplay he wrote for Get Out.
So, does his 3rd film, Nope, live up to the previous two?
For me? No. And yet, it is a well-conceived and skillfully assembled film that is so promising on so many levels, that you just wish he had made a few adjustments so the viewer can lean into the story more.
Siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald Hayward (Keke Palmer) have a very cool job. They own a ranch and train horses for Hollywood movies and TV commercials. We see them on set near the beginning and it’s a fun little character set-up.
But back on the ranch, something weird is going on. You can feel it in the air. You can almost see it in the clouds. What’s going on?
This is NOT a spoiler: it’s a flying saucer.
That’s what’s going on – a sleek, elegant flying saucer that floats about and opens up its underneath to gobble up people or animals for its prey. My heart sank when this was revealed. I am just not into flying saucer stuff.
What kept me interested throughout the way-too-long running time of 2hr 15 min were the main characters and the supporting players who are introduced: the bro who installs their CCTV cameras at their home and inserts himself into the adventure. The great Michael Wincott shows up in a fun role as an IMAX cameraman who is keen to roll film by hand (because the alien presence screws up electronic devices, like cameras that run on batteries).
And Jupe (Steven Yeun) is an interesting character. He was a child actor in the 90s until a chimp, which was the star of the sitcom, went crazy and killed the cast – Jupe survived by hiding under a table. These scenes, this side street plot, was my favorite. But now Jupe is the Hayward’s’ neighbor who runs a kind of Cowboy movie theme park. His character will be substantial in the final act.
Okay, enough exposition. I am leaving out a lot, as I do to reduce spoilers. So, I’ll leave you with this – I think you’ll find that Nope starts too slowly and finishes with a less than jaw-dropping, holy crap conclusion.
Is it still worth seeing?
Yep. Peele’s enduring crush on symbolism, messages and Easter eggs is strong as ever. Not to mention his representation of African Americans in roles that are at once universal, relatable to anyone, but with specific elements that speak to the Black experience. I can’t think of any public figure who has so expertly navigated that tricky course without having to compromise.
I’ve said this about other films: this would have been an amazing 30 or 60 minute episode of a Twilight Zone type show, but it’s just too long with too much spring-loading and not enough thwack upon the spring’s release.
By the way – there are many discussions online about what the film’s “meaning” is, which you may find interesting. Here’s a place to start: (obviously, big spoilers) https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/nope-ending-explained-what-is-the-ufo-in-the-jordan-peele-sci-fi-horror-movie
Nope | Rated R | In Theatres
