The Review
Jordan Peele’s “Nope” (2022) stands as a testament to his growing prowess in the realm of suspense and horror, further cementing his status as a filmmaker with a unique voice and vision. The film, which follows the story of siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood, played by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer respectively, unravels a gripping narrative set against the backdrop of their family’s horse ranch in California.
The Haywoods, who are descendants of the first Black stuntpeople and animal wranglers in Hollywood, find themselves at the center of inexplicable and terrifying events that challenge the very fabric of their reality. Peele’s direction ensures that “Nope” is not just a horror film but also a profound commentary on the human condition, the entertainment industry, and the nature of spectacle.
Kaluuya delivers an understated yet intense performance as OJ, a man of few words but deep emotions, while Palmer’s Emerald is a whirlwind of ambition and charisma, providing a dynamic contrast. The chemistry between the siblings drives the narrative, offering moments of levity amidst the building tension.
The cinematography is nothing short of spectacular, capturing the vastness of the open sky and the intimacy of the characters’ experiences with equal finesse. Peele’s storytelling is elliptical, often leaving the audience to piece together the puzzle, which adds to the film’s allure and rewatchability.
“Nope” is a film that defies expectations, offering a fresh take on the sci-fi thriller genre. It’s a movie that rewards patient viewers with its slow-burn tension and meticulously crafted atmosphere. The film may not provide all the answers, but it certainly leaves a lasting impression, inviting audiences to ponder its deeper themes long after the credits roll.
Ending Explained (Spoiler Alert!)
Nope is U.F.O. horror movie with a twist. The U.F.O. is not a typical alien from out of space. It is its own living creature who likes to eat people and living things. It likes to stay in one area hide from a cloud it created. The story is about a brother and sister rancher who discovered the U.F.O. and decided to capture it on the video with help from famous videographer and a local tech guy, so they can make some money from it. But they found out this is not a typical U.F.O. In fact, It is very dangerous creature.
The U.F.O. creature seems only eat living things but don’t like metal objects. We see it spitting out metal objects including coins. This is how Rancher’s father died in the beginning of the movie.
Then there is Ricky character who run this circus show nearby. We learned out he discovered the U.F.O. already and he tamed it and making money from it. But at the end, we found out you can’t really tame this wild U.F.O. creature. Soon it went rogue and ate everyone in the town.
Throughout the movie, we see reference of this chimp that Ricky was involved with when he was a child actor. When Ricky was child actor, the chimp was trained animal in the show, but something trigger the chimp and the chimp went rogue and killed everyone in the set except for Ricky. We don’t know why the chimp didn’t kill Ricky. This must be traumatic experience for Ricky but also he felt he was invincible.
On the side note, not everyone at the set got killed by the rogue chimp. One of Ricky’s co-star survived. But later, we see that her face is disfigured.
There are many similarities between the chimp and the U.F.O. They both appeared to be tamed creatures. But eventually they both went rogue and killed everyone. Only difference is that the chimp didn’t kill Ricky but U.F.O. did. Main theme of the movie is that wild animals can’t be tamed.
At the end, the ranchers was able to capture the creature on photo in its true form, and able to kill it.
In the Nutshell
“Nope” is a brilliantly crafted film that showcases Jordan Peele’s maturation as a filmmaker. It’s a movie that dares to ask its audience to look up and confront the unknown, making it a must-watch for fans of thought-provoking cinema. Peele has once again proven that he is a master of his craft, delivering a film that is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. [I give 4 out of 5]
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Genre: Sci-Fi Super Natural
Where to watch the movie:
- Amazon
- DVD/Blueray
- Peacock+