Nope (2022) User Reviews

Good, but still misses a mark....

[PerryAtTheMovies · 6/10 · 22 July 2022]

6.7/10

While "Nope" is a visual spectacle I found that it didn't sit as well as I would've hoped when it came to the story. However, it still manages to reach its goal of entertaining on some level.

The film felt slightly long due to the first and third acts feeling fast and somewhat stuffed with a lot of goings ons while the second act felt very slow and drawn out. The long parts put me into a state of boredom, and even further than that, once the reveal of the antagonist happened, the magic and tension disappeared. Before that tension disappeared I found there was some good tension built up due to the soundtrack, but again, things fell short.

As for the horror parts, I assumed there would be more than just the ones shown in the commercial, and while there was, again a lot of the horror/magic disappeared once the antagonist was shown.

I did find the acting to be very engaging. Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer each brought great energy to their roles, and the supporting actors were equally enjoyable.

Overall, a decent film, but if I could go back I would wait to see it on a cheap night. Acting was enjoyable, the cinematography was spectacular, but the story, the length of the film, and the antagonist weren't up to the par I was expecting.

Thank you for reading my review. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!

Captivating but going to be a divisive experience

[tachiiderp · 8/10 · 23 July 2022]

The biggest praise I can give is the cinematography and camera work. I really enjoy looking at wide shots of landscapes and the slow or sudden movements of the camera pushing the tension and anxiety of the scene without having to rely on dialogue or even any acting.

I think the film will be divisive among its audience though. I think this is due to a couple of reasons. First, the story progression feels confusing at times to what we are used to seeing in a thriller or horror. I think labelling it as horror will automatically steer away some people while those that enjoys horror may be disappointed that it lacks enough scares to be called a horror. The trailer I feel also gives away too much and puts the film in a box that might detract viewers. Ultimately, you really have to be open-minded going to this movie. In respect to the genre, Nope really isn't a horror, but more of a blend of some sci-fi, some mystery, some comedy, and luckily, no romance.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the film. I think for movie lovers this will generally be a good experience. Peele seem to focus more on our shared love for films more than sticking to a particular formula of a single genre. There are many small things you'll enjoy if you already love movies, but it will probably have a visibly different experience to a casual movie goer.

The themes of the film is also a good one, I feel. It feels like a cautionary modern fairy tale and the somewhat real dangers of chasing fame and disrespecting nature.

Jordan Peele is shaping out to be a director whose name alone will generate an audience and I would put Nope as a more captivating experience than Us, and around the same level as Get Out despite being two very different stories. His vision and creativity continues to remain highly interesting and I'm so curious to find out what he goes to work on next!

Rough cut horror/comedy has good moments

[Hallelujah289 · 6/10 · 15 April 2023]

I surmise that the idea for "Nope" came out of a clever idea for a sketch. Imagine a film where the main character says "Nope" to terrifying, unexplainable phenomena instead of rushing forward like a courageous, but dumb movie hero.

Except, bucking that trope only takes a movie so far. And that's the point where the movie "Nope" starts to unravel, when it can't adequately explain why the protagonists are sticking around.

Somewhere between halfway and three fourths of the movie, the dialogue just becomes far too cryptic to make sense of. And that's the point where the actions the protagonists are taking really needs to be clear, as it's the climax of the film.

I wished the director Jordan Peele, one half of the successful Key and Peele comedy duo, would try his hand at the horror/comedy movie genre. I believe this is his third and latest film, and the second one that most fits in that genre.

To his credit, some sequences have great cinematography, tension, and horror. And some moments are really funny. One particular sequence is both terrifying and hilarious, and best encapsulates the title "Nope," as a main character goes head to head with a massive, intimidating force and just closes his car door, and says "nope."

But overall, the horror and comedy sides do not feel totally woven together. It's like at some point budget was lost and some sequences just couldn't get follow through. And the characters had to be stretched to make up for missing plot points, or fill the moments with comedy. The writers and actors and visual effects teams are good enough so they manage it. But there is a sense of "what did I just watch" at the ending, which wasn't there with Peele's two other more finished films.

Whatever the back story is that has given "Nope" its rough landing, I still found the film enjoyable. Sometimes experimental. Mostly unpretentious and original good fun. But also, what did I just watch?

Good for Sci Fi

[rvscript-64946 · 7/10 · 8 August 2022]

Sci Fi movies are , IMO, the most intriguing because you go to the theatre to escape. What is a better description of escape than dealing with aliens? Movie made you feel like we have a family of horse trainers that are struggling. Not only as a family but as a business. Their father's legacy, besides his children are in jeopardy. This movie touched on that well. The disconnect , IMO, was with the build up and inferences you must make in the movie. The scenes looked great and the flashbacks were clues that worked. The build up and finale fell a little flat. It did land but not a "10" or what we are trained to expect from watching previous alien type discovery movies. I did like the spaghetti western music in a certain scene. Won't ruin it for those who haven't watched. All in all a good movie. Not great. But worth my ticket because for the time the movie was on the screen , I was entertained.

Not Sure Where Jordan Was Going

[seansoulo73 · 6/10 · 25 July 2022]

I hope we are not about to see the Shyamalan effect with Jordan Peele, where the debut film is amazing and everything that follows leaves you scratching your head. I feel like I'm on that road with Peele's body of silver screen work. "Get Out" was a masterpiece, while "Us" jus didn't do it for me and now "Nope!"

Keke Palmer did her thing in the role she played (she is the star of this movie for sure) and Daniel kept up with a good performance in his own right, but the film itself was something outta the Twilight Zone. More of a sci-fi thriller than a horror flick, it had too many holes and unanswered questions for my liking. Peele's approach to filmmaking is amazing, much like Shyamalan, but the stories, like Shyamalan's are starting to fall short of being good films.

Jordan may have dreamt this story and woke up at 5am and jotted down every detail he could remember. And like our weird dreams, they never make any sense and we forget a lot of the details by the time we wake up! Nope was like one of those weird a... dreams!

Eight things I love about Nope

[RebelPanda · 7/10 · 2 August 2022]

1. Commentary on exploitative social media accounts that strive for the most clicks regardless of who they negatively impact.

2. Keke Palmer's eccentric performance as Emerald. She should be in way more movies.

3. Daniel Kaluuya's deadpan one liners.

4. Rewatch value, there is build up to each twist and shocking moment. Mysterious and ambiguous scenes become scarier after learning context.

5. Foreshadowing: it is absolutely everywhere. Sometimes done subtly, other times obviously.

6. Subtle details; highly detailed set, script, and outfits, down to the logo on one of the main character's shirt.

7. Sound effects. It goes beyond typical horror noise cues, using unique sounds to build-up scares. The blood curdling screams loudly echoing as the creature flies by are terrifying.

8. Akira motorcycle shot. Thank you Jordan.

Seriously disappointing.

[Dodge-Zombie · 2/10 · 25 August 2022]

There is no easy way to put this subtly. This movie is boring. It's about 40 minutes too long. The first hour i was wondering when something was going to happen. The swcond hour I was wondering when it would end.

Any attempts at humour fell flat. The acting was just wooden for the most part. The story could of been good but it was just dragged along.

I really struggle to find anything good to say about it. In retrospect I'd of been better of watching "Get Out" or "Us" again. They are great movies. This is not even close to those standards.

Seriously not recommended. Not even just to watch once. It's over 2 hours and could of been covered in an hour or less.

Fun, Terrifying, Original

[SenethavilayCasey · 8/10 · 22 July 2022]

There is so much going on here and ultimately that is the films biggest weakness. It doesn't really commit to any certain genre. It's genre blending to the max! Still, it's a total blast that will have you laughing in one moment and screaming in the next. The horror elements are my favorite. At this point Peele has proven himself to be a horror master. But this is not really a horror film per say. It's got horror elements as well as comedy, thriller, action, and western. Probably the most unique film to come out in the Covid era. It was a total blast.

Very ambitious and original, with some great metaphors, but ultimately could've been so much better.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 26 August 2022]

It's Peele's best entry to date - imo, but it tries - as usual, to be too sophisticated, a conversation piece, moreso than an enjoyable thrilling ride. It felt too long, too slow, muddled, with a convoluted and disjointed narrative that was all over the place. Any character or plot development was merely metaphorical and lacked depth and cohesion. The cinematography and visual effects were excellent, as were the performances, although I'm getting tired of Kaluuya's monotonic and drab demeanor. His character could've been better cast with someone who'd be excited to star in this film, just like Palmer was.

Started with overwhelming potential.

[max-dominic · 6/10 · 12 March 2024]

I can honestly say I have never had any movie grip me with so much curiosity and excitement in the first 30 minutes only to end with so great a weight of disappointment at it's close.

As others have pointed out, it's difficult to understand why - given the plethora of avenues that were available and sure to be imagined by so talented a mind as Jordan Peele - this is where the film was taken.

There was boundless opportunity for storylines that could have classed in the same category of special and original as Get Out and Us - Peele's previous works, but the film became bizarre. No other word for it.

Peele's characters are usually so believable, and it is one of the cornerstones of his work that has best enabled audiences to feel so enraptured and immersed prior to Nope. That convincing forming of character is missing in more than a few here. Not - it should be noted - in the two main characters played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, but when surrounding and still important characters fall so flat and insincere in the majority of the film, it takes a lot away from the strong work Daniel and Keke produce.

I don't know whether I'm more disappointed at the execution of the film, or that so valuable an opportunity for alternative and haunting plot lines was wasted.

It was generally not good - and it really pains me to say that.

Interesting concept with an unexpected twist.

[fciocca · 7/10 · 3 June 2023]

I see "Nope" as a parody of the alien invasion genre that was made quite well. Out of the three Jordan Peele movies, it is the one that I liked the most, because I felt that it was truly different from what we are used to seeing in commercial cinema nowadays. At the beginning I thought that this was just another UFO story, but there is a wonderful twist that changes things completely. The film keeps a mysterious vibe, by showing the point of view of the characters, that needs to face an unknown menace. There are many beautifully conceived shots and the film is dynamic: it does not lose time in pointless sub-plots or annoying dialogues. The director was focused and he told a nice and at times funny story, that's it: pure entertainment with a bit of experimentation to keep things spicy.

The acting is overall good, but I could not bear Emerald. She was really annoying as she screamed all the time. Keke Palmer's acting feels too forced. It was really the only thing about this flick that I did not like and unfortunately by being one of the main characters, it slightly ruined my experience. The VFX are amazing: there are so many creative ideas and you get to see something different than the typical alien with gray skin and big black eyes. Peele is on the right path. "Get Out" was fine, but it did not bring anything new to the plate, while "Us" for me was a complete disaster. I am happy to finally give a solid 7 out of 10 to one of his projects.

Weird, eerie, fun, polarized.

[aweynand96 · 7/10 · 2 August 2022]

This movie is 'Tremors' for the sky. It's the thing David Lynch would make if he saw 'Arrival' and decided to adapt it into a California western. It was also totally riveting and weird.

Having seen all 3 of Jordan Peele's feature-length horror films, I can state confidently that I dig his style. Certain ingredients are predictable now, but they never make the plot anymore so. You can expect sharp costume design, well-timed comedy, and a banger soundtrack; but you can't quite imagine what creation he's going to be piecing together next. Perhaps that's why 'Nope' was so satisfying to watch.

I'll start with the things I don't like about the movie, and they're pretty simple. I wasn't crazy about some of the acting direction, because sometimes Daniel Kaluuya and Brandon Perea ("Angel") behave aloof - and their reactions don't always match the situation at hand, leaving me confused about the stakes. The dialogue is wry, and while oiled with humor, some lines fall flat or just miss their mark. I have to admit that this might be Peele's weakest script of the three. People noticed. Lastly, and this is probably subjective, some elements left unexplained are fruitless red herrings; but as they could also be thematic chess pieces that I'm too dumb to work out, I'm letting it go.

On the flipside, however, I was enthralled the entire runtime. Peele has really begun to master scene-making, such that the expositional bits never lost my attention because of his eye for interesting set-pieces and good chemistry (which was always engaging between Kaluuya and Keke Palmer). In 'Nope', set-pieces also include the wardrobe, which was lovingly eccentric. I could never pull off most of those looks but they kept the characters unique and give insight into their character. Some outfits are even distracting, but I don't mind enough to be mad. Former double-dutch star and spelling bee champion Keke Palmer presents with most of the fits and I really hope to see more of her in future films, because she was magnetic in all of her scenes, from the very first onward. The Disney Channel can't hold back a star like that.

Oh, yeah - this is also a horror film. Sometimes, especially when I'm laughing, it's barely so. But the parts in which horror is ingrained are truly eerie, earned, and memorable. There are scenes with an ape that made me feel sick to my stomach. There's creature design (mild spoiler) that is wholly unique, but in a way that feels practical and exciting and not for the sake of a gimmick. Peele draws serious effect from the use of people's screams - something underappreciated in horror movies - and the consequence is real fear of what might be causing the din. Your imagination does the legwork. Simple sound design makes a major impact when things get tense.

The past few years have felt like a horror movie recession. I do a lot of digging to find good films that don't make it big in the theaters, and even to that end I've often come up disappointed lately. For 'Nope' to hit screens in the same cycle as 'Black Phone' feels, as you could expect, like a major breath of fresh air.

6.5/10. I'm still thinking about the ape scenes.

8 stars for direction and acting, but only 6 stars for the story, that (again) looses momentum during the second hour.

[imseeg · 7/10 · 13 August 2022]

Jordan Peele (director, producer AND writer) suffers from one specific problem with all of his movies: he, as a director, is at excellent at building up suspense, but he is only average in writing a believable story that STAYS supsenful AFTER the plot is revealed. This time's no different.

The good; excellent photography work and really good acting performances. The build up in suspense during the first hour is magnificent, but...

The bad; in the second hour of the movie the UFO's become visible and the suspense and thrill deteriorate quite badly. Such a pity.

The INvisibility of the UFO"s in the first hour is much more thrilling and spooky, because it makes me wonder WHAT THE HECK is going on. The spookiness level of the first hour is great, but when I get to see the UFO"s up close in the second hour I was disappointed by the silly visuals. It looked like cheap CGI. Was this the best visual of an UFO they could come up with?

Still an enjoyable watch, because this is still a quality made movie, although with some better UFO visuals it could have been a lot more thrilling and scarier.

NOT a horror movie, but it is contineous spooky and dark.

NOT a scifi movie, but it has got some silly looking scifi visuals.

NOT a standard western movie, but it has got the spirit of one!

Interesting mix of different movie genres. Only let down by lack of supsense in the second hour...

Symbolism is flying over all of your heads

[cardsrock · 8/10 · 17 August 2022]

The amount of reviews calling this pointless and terrible clearly didn't read much into what happens here. Peele is pointing a mirror up to you and the most ironic part is a lot of don't even seem to notice. No, this isn't a typical horror movie. It's more of a Spielbergian blockbuster satire with some amusing moments sprinkled throughout. The "entity" is creative and can be quite terrifying. The cinematography is top notch and probably the standout feature of the film, while Kaluuya can say an immense amount without even speaking a word. The screenplay is odd to say the least, but it hits more than it misses.

While I still think this is a lesser film than Get Out or Us and it ran a little too long, you have to commend its originality in a summer sea of IP-based films. Peele attempts something profound and unique here, which should be respected regardless of your thoughts on the film.

Leaves a Mark, Will You?...

[Xstal · 7/10 · 29 August 2022]

What would you do, to get the world to notice you, to make an imprint clearly seen, so people know just where you've been; what lengths would you go to, put your mind and body through, just to get the recognition, for your life's work and submissions; would you take your life and flirt, with the chance of getting hurt, staring danger in the eye, down below and from up high; place your head between the jaws, of a beast with hidden claws, as you're battered, beaten, floored, just to get, a large reward.

Another multifaceted exploration of what it is to be human, a little longer than required and not the paciest piece of cinema you've encountered, but enough to get you thinking and, at the end of the day, that's what great film making is all about.

A drastically different Jordan Peele film from feel and scope

[nscoby93 · 9/10 · 21 July 2022]

Jordan Peele's return to the big screen is a tremendous, refreshing change of pace to the recent Hollywood flops and disappointments the recent MCU films have been.

Jordan Peele is in top form with his recent film Nope. I am very pleasantly surprised with how well done this was and how much I enjoyed this film. I had no doubt with Jordan Peele he would do something good but he has set a new bar in the psychological, thriller, horror genre.

I don't know where to start as I have so many thoughts racing through my brain, so I'll start simple. Great cinematography this film was beautiful and looked great on the IMAX screen. Great writing and I have to stop to say the writing in this film is superior to the writing in Get Out and Us. Jordan Peele's writing talent has come a long way since those films. The dialogue and chemistry between actors and characters was so organic, it just felt so natural and nothing feeling forced. Speaking of things not feeling forced the comedy and jokes, all do so well and don't detract from the serious tone of the film.

Which will lead me to great acting. Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, and Steven Yeun (just to name a few of the films stars) all give tremendous performances. It was so great to see Steven Yeun as I haven't seen him in anything since he starred as Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead. Amazing sound design and sound effects, it truly brought the tension and horror to tremendous heights it had me on the edge of my sit.

Now I want to discuss the viewing experience as it has been a long time since a horror film truly had an impact on me. Some genuinely terrifying moments that like I said had me on the edge of my seat. I am not easily scared and jump scares I find them to be cheap and weak but there were some scares here that genuinely made me jump. At one moment I found myself saying "nope, not today Satan" I'm sure there will be a lot of "nope" remarks from audience members. But is this worth the IMAX screen? To that question I'd say yes and no. This film did not make much use of IMAX cameras which throughout the film made me question why is it in IMAX? But I have to say when the IMAX sequences finally came along it was great. The utilization of the IMAX cameras in certain scenes made for a great pay off and of course coupled with the great IMAX sound it heightened the viewing experience. But I can't say it was a must watch in IMAX. To steer away from spoilers I will simply say a teaser trailer for a certain upcoming film from my favorite director made watching it in IMAX well worth it.

I'll start wrapping this up as I'm sure some people who saw the amount of text in this review thought "nope, I'm not reading all that" no pun intended. The only real downside of this film for me was it did lose a little steam in the conclusion and I didn't feel satisfied nor unsatisfied. I still have a lot of questions and would like some more information but perhaps these questions are answered in the film and I missed them. I definitely plan on multiple viewings of this film.

This is my new favorite Jordan Peele film, better than his recent film Us and right up there with Get Out while surpassing it. I would rate this film between a 8.5 or 8.9 but because I don't like half scores I'm going to give it the full 9 because of how this film at moments genuinely had me jumping. It was a fun, exciting, thrill ride from start to finish. I look forward to whatever comes next from Jordan Peele.

IMDb: 9/10 Letterboxd: 4/5

Watched in IMAX Theater.

Should've said "Hell Nope"

[kenfsu · 24 July 2022]

I have a call into my credit card company for AMC stealing my money tonight after seeing the worst movie of my life. I shudder to think if the people giving this a good review actually have a good opinion to share that anyone will listen to ever again....cause I will not - Nope!!

The end of the movie left a packed theater speechless, and someone finally stood up after a minute stating" Alrighty then!" As they got up and walked from the theater.

I am an Avid movie watcher and this piece of film should have been left trailing out of the actual hole of the mystic creature than asking people to pay to endure it.

Peele missed the mark on this one.

I wasn't expecting to be scared as much as I was...

[abrown975 · 7/10 · 20 September 2022]

Wow, there are a lot of nasty reviews of the movie...

"Nope" is about horror media spectacle- it's about what makes us watch a fiery car wreck as we drive by on the freeway, or how the "GRAPHIC CONTENT" warning on news segments piques our interest. Steven Yeun's character, who I assume also speaks for director Jordan Peele here, says he will show the audience a "spectacle". And he does show the audience, both in the film and us watching, a spectacle or horror. And it is one of the scariest things I've witnessed because of how (ironically) grounded the performances are. The shrieks and screams of people experiencing this spectacle don't simply feel scared, they feel TERRIFIED. AGONIZED. CHAOTIC. CONFUSED. IN HORRIFIC PAIN AND TERROR. Jordan Peele knows how to tether (heh..) his films to reality.

People criticize how there aren't as many scares as they expected, but while that might be true that the horror is as sparse as the land it's filmed on, each scare means something. Each one primes the audience to think a certain way about the aliens. What do they look like? When will we see them emerge from their flying saucer? What will they do when we see them? And midway through, without revealing too much, we realize too late with the rest of the audience that our idea of these aliens are way, way off...

The performances by everyone are great. I wish I were out battling this UFO with them. My only complaint is that despite the ordeal they've just been through, they don't seem to change much as characters by the end. This also makes the movie feel a little longer than it should be.

"Nope" could be about half an hour to an hour shorter... but boy, does Jordan Peele know how to toy with your suspense levels, and expectations.

Don't listen to the negative reviews -go see it

[cinn74 · 9/10 · 14 August 2022]

Suspenseful, interesting storyline, great acting, what more do you want? ..... So enjoyable and different. Best movie of the year so far. Jordan Peele is turning into a force to be reckoned with. Go see it!!

Ambitious in genre bending and storytelling. Tends to meander and lacks a real punch. Beautifully shot, directed and edited.

[cknorton-82131 · 7/10 · 24 July 2022]

Overall: 7.16

Ambitious in genre bending and storytelling. Tends to meander and lacks a real punch. Beautifully shot, directed and edited. Keke Palmer is fantastic and brings a lot of energy and life into the film. Jordan Peele is a true talent, but this movie comes up empty in places in narrative and especially the climax. Original effort, Spielberg-like Sci-Fi/Adventure scale and Shamalan-like horror ambition. Doesn't completely miss the mark but doesn't fully deliver either.

Setting, Conflict, Character, Dialogue, Theme, Plot, and Climax: B-

Audience Engagement (do you feel runtime): Yes.

Top Genres - Sci-Fi, Horror, Adventure Fiction/Nonfiction - Nonfiction Runtime - 2:11

Genre(s) rating -Sci-Fi: 7 -Horror: 5 -Adventure: 7

Genre Average Score: 6.3 Directing: 9 Cinematography/lighting: 8 Story/Narrative: 7 Structure: 6 Dialogue: 6 Score(music): 8 Editing: 9 Acting: 6 Characterization: 7 Mise en Scène/Visual Design: 6 Visual Effects: 8 Costumes/Makeup: 7 Lasting Impact: 6 Originality: 8

Overall: 7.16.

No great, not bad, but very different and therefore interesting

[kuner-59029 · 6/10 · 2 September 2022]

I haven't seen any of Peele's other movies, so I approached Nope without expecations. I watched it primarily for Michael Wincott, who is one of the most criminally underrated and underused actors today.

The movie starts strong with a welcome but short appearance by the great Keith David in the opening scene. We're also introduced to Kuluyaa's essentially nonverbal protagonist, who I felt was one of the weaker aspects of the movie, since he seems too disconnected and unengaged considering the incredible occurances at the ranch. Frankly, the movie would have been stronger if they had replaced either lead with Keith David, because that man just oozes charisma.

His sister on the other hand is mostly annoying, with the actress overacting as if she were in a different movie than everyone else. Overall the movie felt somewhat disjointed, especially during the opening 45 minutes until the mystery was revealed and the themes came together.

Contrary to other reviewers, I found the monster to be unique and scary, and the finale engaging and suspenseful. For a monster movie, the final showdown is what it all comes down to, and Nope even remained suspenseful in a full lit daytime scene, much like Jaws. I liked that a lot.

Less fun were some of the dumb decisions the characters make during the finale, especially Michael Wincott's character, who seemed like the one smart character for most of the film.

From a technical and direction standpoint, this was stellar. Beautifully shot, great use of camera angles and sound, well paced during the suspense scenes.

While the movie does suffer from either miscast or misdirected lead actors and a half baked script, overall I enjoyed it.

Yep

[xiaoli7377 · 9/10 · 22 July 2022]

"Nope" was enthralling. I see it as a social commentary on people stunting and doing wild stuff for social media clout. I still prefer Peele's first film "Get Out", and I haven't seen "Us" but I'm probably gonna check it out now.

I also see a lot of it as a smart twist on the horror genre. Whereas a lot of filmmakers create horror movies where the main characters survive despite their stupidity, this one plays on the main characters actually being clever enough to "nope out." Finally, our years of yelling "don't go in the closet/basement/outside, you idiot!" at the movie screen have been answered.

Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya are terrific as the stars. The cinematography is on point. This whole movie is beautifully shot with a lot of subplots and recurring themes that will leave a lot of room for interpretation and after-movie discussion.

Definitely one of the best of 2022 so far. It drags just a bit in the middle but I found it very fun and interesting.

A breath of fresh air in evermore stale big Hollywood

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 27 July 2022]

As "Nope" (2022 release; 135 min.) opens, we are on the Haywood Hollywood Horses farm, the only black-owned horses training camp for movies and TV. One day, small things start falling out of the sky and Otis Sr., who runs the farm, is struck and killed. His kids OJ and EM try to carry on the farm... At this pint we are 10 min into the film.

Couple of comments: this is the 3rd film from writer-producer-director Jordan Peele, after the brilliant "Get Out" and the okay but uneven "Us". With "Nope", Peele goes on a much bigger scale and along the way brings us a sci-fi mystery movie. The lesser said about the plot, the better so as not to spoil anything. Just watch! In the bigger picture. Big Hollywood has become so extremely risk adverse that if a movie isn't Marvel or DC Comic-related, or otherwise a sequel or prequel or spin-off or other franchise-related property, chances are the movie won't be made. In other words, big Hollywood as much as possible avoids an ORIGINAL idea, and as a result truly original amazing movies like Christopher Nolan's "Tenet" become ever rarer. This makes "Nope" truly a breath of fresh air in today's stale Hollywood climate. Big budget, big idea, above all, ORIGINAL. Does that make it a perfect movie? Nope, it does not. But at least Peele tries. Daniel Kaluuya as OJ is tops, yet again. Apparently there is already talk of a sequel. To which I say, NOPE! I am crossing my fingers that Peel's next film will be something completely different altogether from what he has done to date, as long as it's original. No sequel, please!

"Nope" opened in theaters last weekend and I saw it here in Cincinnati just the other night. The Tuesday evening discount screening was pretty much a sell-out. If you are in the mood for an original sci-fi mystery, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Nope, it doesn't flow like the others, but still has that Peele twist

[rgkarim · 8/10 · 23 July 2022]

LIKES:

The Comedy At Times: Peele knows how to put comedy into his work and often to maximize the laughs. He does this very well again, using so little to accomplish so much without trying. His skits with Keele showed putting a lot of energy, but for Nope, the comedy is much more controlled, dropped in at the right times to try and offset the tension. Peele manages to put a lot of fun into the writing from the blunt delivery of Kaluuya's lines to the energetic come get some of Palmer's character Em, it just comes off natural and is not too wedged in to get in the way of the movie. It's also sprinkled nicely throughout the movie, and finding the right time to spice up the moment.

The Pace Mostly: For a movie that promised to be elevated horror and potentially very deep, the pacing was decent for this writer. Nope starts out the same style of Peele's work, taking lots of time set up the pieces and give you inklings of how everyone will be connected. Then as the events start to happen, he manages to ramp things up and start focusing on uncovering elements, all while still focusing on that character development. It's the intrigue that pulled me in, trying to see what the next the level to the story was all while trying to discover the twist he had in store. The pace continued to be like that for much of the film, until right about the end where things changed, but for about 75% of the movie, the pace was thrilling for this horror movie.

The Twist: Peele has always found a way to put his shocking imagination to the works and really keep you guessing as to what the spin to the story will be. Once again, he does not fail to deliver, bringing with it elevated levels of viewing the world and clever symbolism to show the state of the world. His use famous verses and quotes, mixed with subtle signs and visual aids, all work to be that level of poetic disposition he does so well, allowing one to interpret the message to their liking. And yet, for those who just want straight gimmicks and entertainment, Peele is there to give you an odd change to formula that may or may not be impressive to you. For me, he again uses it well and gives the science fiction genre a nice refresh that has plenty to offer the horror element, some shots he used very well to display it. That thrill part really makes the story take a new element and the way he integrates in the odd manner at the end.

The Horror Elements/Tension: Now we are getting to the stuff most care about for the genre, and in this film the horror elements are certainly creative and well done at times. Nope works on several levels to give you the chills experience, starting with the odd and offset, where just enough hints are given to bait you, but have not given everything away. They then start adding tension to the mix, using elements to build up the moment with use of shadows, the feeling of abandonment and the use of shadows. Soon, crazy things start getting immersed into the movie, and the sickening elements bleed in, nods to the classic horror movies, as the disturbing visuals get their moment creep you out. Finally, the tension at the end as the whole finale hits, gives you that intensity to help maintain the edge, but drops the horror element for something else. Again, there is a wicked nature to the whole thing that darker beings will love to watch.

The Acting: You've heard it from many, but no surprise, Nope has an A game of cast to bring this movie to life. Once more, all the cast hits their shining moment and brings that intricacy that the film needs to make sure it comes off creepy. For the big three though we have a few more words to say. Perea is the guy who is the blend of both characters, the sort of comedic support a film needs to help offset the horror. He's a fun character to dive into and certainly makes for an entertaining lead with plenty of jokes to throw into the fire. However, the two leads are the brother and sister duo of OJ and Em, and the group who portray them. Palmer is energetic, bringing sass and fire that is trying to bring the ranch to modern times and challenge the threat at hand. She's the visionary of the group, and her energy livens up the rather serious tone without shattering the believability or elements of the story. It really works and she executes it so well that you can't help but get pulled into all the traits she brings. As for Kaluuya, he transitions well into the modern cowboy roles and I was very impressed with how much he was able to do with so few words spoken. There is just something in his performance and mannerisms that works so well, and I was very happy to see how Peele used his talents to really make the simplistic character layered in comedy, story, and just plain laughs.

The Cinematography: By far, my favorite was the cinematography and the sound that went with it. Nope is all about the right shot to get the moment perfectly terrifying and Peele's team did it beautifully in bringing the odd encounter to life. Shadows as mentioned earlier are deceptive and haunting, leaving you feeling isolated, but yet watched. The angles of the saucer attack grip you into the experience and find a way to make the whole ordeal as gruesome and terrifying as you expect. Even the emotional moments has all the right direction to them and I felt the presence of every moment in the presentation they brought us. Thrown in great sound elements to back it up, or lack of it some cases, and Nope's technical aspect achieves great thing for this reviewer to make it worthwhile to visit in theaters.

DISLIKES:

Plot Holes/Underused Elements: I agree with other reviewers that Peele's plot seemed a little less put together as some of his other works. Nope holds a lot of elements to it, but in terms of complete character story, full on challenges, and even answers to some brimming questions the movie does not quite wrap things up as neatly as he does. The random film element tie in for one character is certainly interesting, but is this awkward tangent that is more a symbolic poke at something and could have been left out. A legendary camera man seems to have a lot prowess and logic, but then things happen to counter that, subtle hints being seen that don't quite make sense and seem a bit hurried. Even Angel's background is sort of like a stoner secondary character that would have been nice to flesh out. All in all, these elements are present enough to get you thinking and serve as the sword slash to modern day culture, but don't quite fit as nicely together like other parts of his movies.

Cross the Line a Little On One my elements: I can't really say much without ruining a twist, but there is a bit of animal cruelty in this movie that is not my particular taste. As human as many productions are, there are some portrayals that I'm just not a fan of watching and Peele sometimes cross the line for me. I have to give him props for keeping it relevant, but there were other moments I would have preferred not to see.

A Few Random Elements That Seemed Jammed In: This has to do with the ending where a lot of things happen very quickly in the climactic finale. Particularly the introduction of a random character whose name holds the symbolic nature, the smoothness of the final moment is mediocre for this reviewer. These elements may have held more shine in the poke fun at modern times role, however story wise seemed out of place and less useful than just adding more to the other characters we were already invested in. Sure, Peele does have some set up to help out and throw real world logic into it, but it just did not seem useful given what was about to happen.

The Pacing: As mentioned, the pace is definitely interesting for about 70-75% of the film, but that other part is a little up and down for me. Watching it unfold at times, the movie drags a bit, going down this element that is supposed to mean something big, but again barely fits into the ordeal they are crafting. Meanwhile, the ending seems very rushed, with things happening that just don't make sense nor have the tie ups I like to see in his work. There are "changes" that happen to the characters, but they are so sudden with only tidbits of dialogue to support them that you wonder a bit more why they did what they did. Watching breakdowns from the artistic point works, but as for story elements it's a bit disappointing for the average viewer.

The Verdict:

Nope is a movie with an interesting name, and like most of Peele's work an interesting premise for both artistic sakes and horror sakes. He finds a way to merge the three worlds of mystery, horror, and sci-fi into this layered film, that is pretentious, but still holds entertaining elements that we like to see. Great acting, a deep story, horror elements that take advantage of so many things, alongside supreme visuals are the keys to what makes this movie hold a lot of bite. It's weird, it's convoluted, and yet it works if you can get onboard with his trippy thriller work from the past. However, the movie is not my favorite of the bunch and does not quite get the smoothness that I've seen in the past of this film. It's rushed at times, boring at others, with a story element running tangent that does not quite mesh as well as other origin elements of previous works. Still, it's a fun movie with a few moments worth rewatching, and for those enjoying symbolic takes of the times, worth even more views to dissect all Peele has crammed into the film. Definitely worth a trip to the movies for this one, and I encourage you to take a moment and view it where you can.

My scores are:

Horror/Mystery/Sci-Fi: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0.

Interminable

[jeffrsprague · 3/10 · 23 January 2023]

One of the most boring movies I've ever watched. About 40 minutes into it I made a comment that the actors seemed so bored to be working on this movie and not more than a minute later there's a "what do you want to do now" / "I don't know, what do you want to do" exchange. They're as bored as I am. If you saw the trailer, as I did about a million times last year, you've pretty much heard the few good lines.

And you'll definitely want the captions turned on since half the time they just mumble through their boredness.

And you don't really like or care about any of the characters... I just kept rooting for the monsters.