Nope (2022)

Writer/director Jordan Peele tries his hand at the science fiction/horror crossover with Nope. As is his modus operandi, Peele uses comedy to keep the audience off-kilter until the next scary moment hits. And, yes, there’s social commentary as well.

Nope focuses on O.J. (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer), a brother and sister trying to keep their father’s horse ranch afloat after his strange death. He was killed by an object falling from the sky. Although attributed to debris from an airplane, the actual source is not of this world. And that’s slowly revealed as the movie unfolds.

It’s hard to do much of an in-depth review as I don’t want to spoil anything. I think Universal Studios revealed too much in the later trailers for the film. The impact of many scenes in the final film were undercut by their inclusion in previews. What I can say is that fans of Jordan Peele’s writing and directing will find plenty to enjoy with Nope. If you liked Get Out or Us, you’ll be in a similar headspace here. The social commentary is not as blatant as Peele’s previous films, but it’s there if you’re paying attention to the subtext. It’s just as easy to miss and treat the movie as a special effects blockbuster, although the experience isn’t as nearly as rich that way.

Featuring Peele’s biggest budget to date, it’s not hard to see where the money went. The CGI and other effects work are top-notch, but the real strengths here are the script and the performances. Kaluuya and Palmer have excellent on-screen chemistry. While Palmer is animated and exuberant and Kaluuya is measured and quiet, their banter feels natural even when things go bonkers. Steven Yeun and Brandon Perea are solid in their supporting roles. (Some flashback scenes involving Yeun’s character as a child are absolutely bone-chilling.)

Even though the final act trips over a few logical shoelaces, Nope features enough suspense, surprises, and honest scares for me to wholeheartedly recommend it.