In an industry increasingly saturated with the shallow and uninspired content of the superhero genre, spine-chiller extraordinaire Jordan Peele, writer and director of Get Out and Us, returns to provide a welcome respite from caped crusaders with a thrilling, nuanced and creative horror blockbuster.
NOPE follows siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood, horse trainers who provide steeds for Hollywood productions, and descendants of the jockey featured in the legendary ‘Plate 626’ reel of a galloping horse, captured by Eadweard Muybridge. When bizarre power outages, weather phenomena and “bad miracles” begin to stir up on their quiet, secluded farm, OJ witnesses a flying saucer race through the sky. In a bid to grab fame, the duo decide to capture seemingly impossible footage of the extra-terrestrial visitors, but in doing so, put themselves in far more danger than one could ever imagine.
Unlike his role in Get Out, Daniel Kaluuya’s OJ is a reserved and stoic individual, akin to the aloof cowboy of a Sergio Leone spaghetti western. Keke Palmer on the other hand is wonderfully charming as the extroverted Emerald, a loquacious social butterfly with a carefree attitude. Unfortunately, despite their delightful chemistry, both characters fail to undergo any form of development, regardless of the incredible and life-altering events they experience over the course of the film. The same can also be said for all their co-stars. Joining the siblings is Walking Dead star Steven Yuen, playing Ricky ‘Jupe’ Park, a theme park manager whose traumatic past continues to haunt him years later. Breakout star Brandon Perea provides much of the comedic relief as Angel, a tech-savvy UFO enthusiast, and Michael Wincott’s gritty portrayal of a seasoned filmmaker, Antlers Holst, creates a strong screen presence to round off the small but memorable cast.
Peele’s cinematography embellishes the narrative beautifully. Now granted a blockbuster budget, the director uses every penny to produce some truly jaw-dropping shots, particularly during the third act. You won’t even notice the retro Hollywood process, aptly dubbed ‘Day for Night,’ which magically masks the fact that each night scene was shot under the blazing sun. Composer Michael Abels also returns after Peele’s previous horror flicks to lift each scene through a rich and resonant score, capturing the wonder of alien life and the chilling truth behind it.
This film, perhaps more so than Peele’s previous projects, is one for an audience intrigued by, and passionate about cinema. Evidently it was created by someone who adores the artform, drawing from past classics to produce something refreshing. Nods to the art of cinema, such as Muybridge’s historical horse reel, or filmmaker Antlers Holst’s obsession with capturing “the impossible shot,” all delineate passion for filmmaking and movies. If you’re only interested in a light, colourful, thoughtless popcorn flick, à la Marvel Studios, then this won’t be to your taste. NOPE is art, to be appreciated on the biggest screen available with a top-notch sound system, not on your TV on one of the countless streaming services currently trending.
In true Jordan Peele fashion, there is more than meets the eye with his latest cinematic endeavour. Get Out tackled racism, Us touched on class disparity, and NOPE revolves around both spectacle and greed. Even the title, NOPE, is a hidden acronym for Not of Planet Earth. Such nuance is the reason why, ideally, one should walk into the cinema with as little knowledge of the film as possible. Its eerie enigmatic plot is one of the primary facets of Peele’s sci-fi experience, engrossing the audience in a narrative that will keep them on their toes for much of the first and second act. Unfortunately, the primary theme is explored further in a subplot surrounding Steve Yeun’s character, which, although exciting, has no ties to the Haywood’s perilous face off with the UFO. Its inclusion is one that will require a quick Google search after the credits roll, dissecting the hidden meaning behind the hair-raising sequence, and one must ask, if an audience is left confused and pondering the incorporation of such a scene, is it imperative that it be featured? The answer is no. Where NOPE also falls flat is the length of its introduction, lugging through twenty-five minutes before finally kicking the story into action, and its third act. There are certainly some breath-taking moments during the finale, and it begins pulsing with tension and excitement, but continues for a little too long, and closes with a weird mix of satisfaction and disappointment.
Overall, despite its unnecessary subplot, dragged introduction and mixed finale, NOPE provides a welcome release from the cookie-cutter formula of Marvel and DC. Utilizing a charming score, its creative twist on a classic tale, memorable characters, and gorgeous cinematography, it’s bound to satisfy a particular audience searching for a thrill ride they can appreciate. Get Out remains Jordan Peele’s magnum opus, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see NOPE become a cult classic in years to come.
4/5
