Nope Movie Review

 by Karl W.

Nope
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Written by: Jordan Peele
Distributed by: Universal Pictures

    I feel like I needed to get my points across with a movie like this. A movie that seems like a typical sci-fi/alien invasion movie on the surface but also feels so entrenched in its themes and messages. Though, what else can you expect from Jordan Peele, who in the past year has become a powerhouse visionary director with films like "Get Out" and "Us". "Nope" still felt different though, as there is plenty here to dissect and analyze, with plenty of moments here that are sure to go over the heads of the general viewing audience. Hell, I don't think I'll be able to fully go over all the points in this movie that I think Jordan Peele is trying to convey. After all, this is a movie that is bound to leave people with questions...like what was the deal with the chimp?

    Now, like I said, this movie is pretty tough to understand, at least on the surface. It was enjoyable, with plenty of humor and some great acting coming from all the main cast. However, the more you dig, the more you understand that there is a much more darker subtext within it, mainly involving the exploitation of tragedy and how we all see it. I think the movie's use of animals is very apt in this theme, with our main characters, OJ and Em, being the owners of a company involved with training animals for movies. There are title screens during parts of this movie that highlight a certain animal in the movie, namely the horses of the Haywoods' ranch, and each sequence usually ends with the animal's disappearance or death. There is even a scene in the movie where producers for a commercial hire OJ and Em for an uncomfortable commercial shoot where the horses are treated like props and OJ and Em the stage hands. It's a pretty discomforting and rather realistic way that some people and animals are treated behind the scenes, where they are exploited and misused for the viewership of all. The theme of exploitation also extends towards the UFO, an omnipresent object that is seen throughout the movie and is the main hook of this movie, where our protagonists try to capture any image they can of this object. Yet, the more you learn about this UFO, the more you realize just how difficult that could be...and how that constant need to exploit and capture that moment can end up eating away at your life.

    Now...let's talk about the chimp. It feels almost out of place to have a scene involving a chimp on a movie set when the scene doesn't really seem to lead anywhere in the movie, yet this is where that theme of exploitation is at its strongest. Jupiter "Jupe" was a child actor during a sitcom involving a chimp where one of the chimp actors became irate and mauled his fellow co-stars on set during a shoot. It's a harrowing and bleak setting that anyone can find themselves in, yet Jupe copes with it in a way that seems to glorify that event, seeing himself as a survivor of a horrific event and taking that to glory, to the point where he has a shrine to the sitcom he was a part of. His image, whether due to the incident, the media storm around it, helped form Jupe into the showman he is, even exploiting the use of an animal and the UFO for his own use. It's a tragic character piece that, even though it's a brief part of this film, is among the most powerful moments of the film.

    Even still, the film around those themes is excellent. Getting Hoyte van Hoytema, the man responsible for most of Christopher Nolan's cinematography, is an inspired choice as it helps make scenes across the dusty plains of the California hills that much more grandiose. The acting of this movie is also stellar, with Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer both doing a great job as the sibling duo of OJ and Em, with OJ being incredibly shy and reserved to match the extroverted portrayal of Em. I really loved their dynamic in this movie, they feel like actual siblings. Of course, the acting from other actors such as Steven Yuen's tragic portrayal of Jupe and Brandon Perea playing Angel, a hapless tech-shop worker.

    There's a lot to really dig into with this movie, to the point where I know I haven't covered all of it. Yet, the more I uncover about it, the more I love it. Even after a long hiatus after "Us" (mostly thanks to the pandemic), Jordan Peele shows he is one of the most innovative and fascinating directors currently working. 

Strong 8/10 (Great)