by Jeffery Rahming, Contributing Writer
Jordan Peele has reached the point in his career where he’s practically allowed to do anything. Since the surprise smash hit Get Out, he’s quickly become one of Hollywood’s most influential voices. But despite Nope being Peele’s most expensive movie (it’s more than triple the budget of Us), it doesn’t quite reach the ambitious heights of his previous projects.
In Nope, we follow siblings Emerald (Keke Palmer) and OJ Haywood (Daniel Kaluyaa), who own a ranch that trains horses for movies. With the business falling apart due to a family tragedy, they’ve struggled to keep the ranch operating. After an unexplainable phenomenon occurs on the property, the pair concoct a plan to use this event to turn a profit.
It’s clear that Peele was going for a slightly different tone with this film. It surprisingly feels more like an indie movie than his other, less expensive films, and is more sci-fi than horror, though trust me — there are plenty of scares to go around. The plot itself is simple and entertaining, but the movie has just a little too much fat around it, leaving the whole thing feeling bloated. In the beginning, the script takes its time establishing characters and plot lines, but it doesn’t earn all that setup time by the end. It feels like Peele had a short hour and 45 movie and then added 30 minutes of unnecessary scenes. The film doesn’t have the same level of thrills as his previous works, nor does it have as much thematic depth. Though there are thematic elements here, they’re not as cutting as the commentaries in his other movies, nor is it tied together all that well. Of course, it’s possible with a filmmaker like Peele, some deeper meaning could become clearer upon a rewatch, but even so, there’s not a lot to analyze here.
The film’s slow pace doesn’t take away from the fact that Peele is a talented director. When he gets to do what he’s known for, which is directing horror, the film is at its best. There are a lot of scenes that will make you squirm in your seat and others that are more subtly unnerving. Not to mention some of the blood-curdling screams I’ve ever heard in a horror movie. The film is a fun watch when Peele finally does let loose (that is, when the central plot eventually rolls around).
The shining feature of the movie is the cast. Keke Palmer continues to be Hollywood’s most underrated and underutilized talents and proves she can be a great charismatic movie lead. Her bubbly personality plays well off of the quiet stoicism of Kaluuya’s character. Stephen Yeun comes in with a more understated performance, playing his character with a mix of over-the-top showmanship and unprocessed trauma. He brought life to a role that doesn’t have much to do on paper. There’s also a scene-stealing performance by character actor Micheal Wincott, who plays a grumpy cinematographer who talks with a mouthful of gravel and inexplicably dresses like the Undertaker. The cast’s talented performances elevate the movie above feeling like something you’d stumble across on Netflix.
Peele previously stated that his intention with Nope was to make a spectacle. Something that audiences would have to see in theaters. While there are many great things about Nope, including the incredible cast and some truly exhilarating scenes, I wouldn’t say it warrants running to the theaters. Peele clearly hopes this movie will be just as impactful as his other ones, but for most audiences, this will be just another sci-fi movie. A decent watch, but not anything that will stick around in the zeitgeist. If this movie was a directorial debut, it would be an impressive first outing, but it’s a bit of a letdown for a director with two critically acclaimed films under his belt. It’s still a decent watch, but Nope’s scares and thrills could just as easily be enjoyed in the comfort of your home.
Score: 6/10
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