Nope (2022) - Movie Review

What do you get when Jordan Peele decides to make a UFO movie that’s not a UFO movie…

…and it’s fucking brilliant.

Nope is a 2022 Sci-fi / Horror / Thriller brought to us by writer / director Jordan Peele.

If you don’t know Jordan Peele—do you even horror bro?

Kidding aside, Peele had one of the best debuts of all-time with Get Out and continued with the satirical and oft-misunderstood genius of US and now brings a straight up masterpiece to the table in Nope.

Yes, Nope is better than Get Out.

Fight me.

This film is filmmaking personified. It tells a half dozen stories without needing any exposition. The script is sparing on dialogue which allows the actors to tell the story. You can see the trust Peele has in his oft-leading man, Daniel Kaluuya. Kaluuya has Kurt Russel in Soldier levels of dialogue here—which means very-little for you non-cinema-elite.

Kaluuya embodies every son that’s been forced into the family business, made even more intense by the fact that the family business is a shining beacon to the African American community as the only all black horse trainers in Hollywood. He continues to do the job even though he hates it, because he feels the onus of his father.

Kaluuya is brilliant here. His non-verbals are on point and his chemistry with screen sister Keke Palmer is incredibly organic.

Palmer is a standout here as the sister who desperately wanted to be apart of the family business, but was never allowed due to the misogynistic traditions of industry and family. So she acts out, has commitment issues, and low-key has nowhere else to go.

The film focuses on the Haywood family as they navigate the passing of their patriarch due to mysterious circumstances. His passing leaves their already struggling horse training business in shambles. When their remaining horses begin behaving strangely and start going missing, OJ and Emerald begin an investigation that will change their lives forever. As people begin vanishing in droves and blood rains from the sky, will the Haywood’s find a way to stop the horror of what’s in the clouds, or will they join the vanishing masses?

It’s really as simple as that, but all the more complicated by all the small stories tied up within it.

Go watch this movie—It’s exclusively streaming on PEACOCK.

I know—no one uses Peacock—except for Sunday night football.

Just do the free trial Karen, Jesus!

It’s worth it to see a truly great film.

For those who’ve already seen it, continue to SPOOOOOOOOOOILLLLLLEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRS

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No Peeking.

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Seriously, go watch the movie.

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Last Warning.

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This movie is advertised like an alien invasion film, but it’s anything but. Yes, there is an alien, but it singular and it’s basically sky-Jaws.

This film is Jaws on land and air.

and It’s horrifying and beautiful.

The creature design and special effects are beyond anything I could have imagined. The final form of the monster is basically an Angel from Evangelion come to life. It’s one of the greatest feats of special effects that tops any other movie monster—even the Balrog from Lord of the Rings.

This is thing is Vera Wang level beautiful design and the more beautiful it gets, the more horrified you become.

The scene where the creature is camped above the house, raining down the blood and gore of all the people it just ate over the house like charnel raincloud is one of the most striking, beautiful, and stomach churning images in film history. It’s such an amazing shot.

I also like the subtle nods to African American history in the film.

Some of which I may have invented, but I thought that the idea that not looking up at the stark white monster by OJ was a nod to the old Slave custom of not looking the master in the face. A custom which followed black people into Hollywood as many books and autobiographies I’ve read of black actors in the olden days of the industry were forced to keep with this horrible tradition.

If I’m wrong, Mr. Peele, I apologize. If I’m right, the idea was brilliant and probably went completely over the heads of white America.

Go watch this movie. It’s amazing.

Jaws on Land.

What more can I say?