A New Misdirect To Extra-Terrestrials (NOPE review)

 

Jordan Peele returns to direct, write and produce yet another mind-boggler meant to be seen on the big screen. Despite not getting that luxury, Nope is enjoyable no matter how you make it with the means. Promoted as a sci-fi thriller, the film stars Get Out alum Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun in its main cast. Fans of Peele's award-winning and praised work will be reminded that he is growing to be a mainstay director people everyone will remember or want to work with. 

Centered around two siblings who are the descendants of the jockey who was featured in 'the very first assembly of photographs used to create a motion picture', Otis Jr and Emerald have an encounter that springs them to get photographic evidence in order to revitalize their family business. There's nothing much left to say about the premise for if more is said, it would spoil the movie. But what I can disclose is that this film is an experience. 

With subtle themes of mystery, territorial tendencies, and abusing profit from animals, Nope is an intellectual film that is filled with deeper meanings, references to the Hollywood business, and how we tend to exploit nature for entertainment. It also jabs at the different portrayals of white and black characters when in scary movies due which ties up to the movie title nicely. A lot of people have been comparing this to the works of Steven Spielberg but his works functioned as a reference as opposed to being an inspiration, as the film introduces a new rule to the extraterrestrial trope. 

What interested me more was the fresh, original take on a premise that features a UFO, or in this case, a UAP. When it comes to movies, audiences will expect a big ship with aliens attempting to abduct humans for experimentation or probing. Nope manages to widen that scope by informing a notion that is more terrifying and effective not only for the plot but also for alien theorists everywhere, considering that we might have gotten it wrong. 

The movie part taking place in small places but in different views providing the illusion for audiences that the film was not made during the pandemic. The methods utilized to portray largen the scope with its inclusive story arcs are smart and remind us of the purpose of great movie magic, ironic to the aforementioned themes. However, is Nope for everybody? That is hard to say for that it is hard to appeal to audiences that do not pay attention well enough to not only understand what is being presented rather than catch references or easter eggs. Anyone with patience and a knack for a misdirecting script can enjoy this ride