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A Review of “Nope (2022)”

 

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Jordan Peele has genuinely surprised me with his capabilities as a director. Who would’ve thought that a comedian could be so good at making genuinely interesting horror movies? So hearing how his next movie was going to be sci-fi horror, I was already onboard! Was Nope another homerun from Peele or is the title a perfect feeling for this film?

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What stood out the most about this film to me was how amazing it looks. It is probably the most visually stunning movie Peele made so far. It’s impressive that Peele managed to make a dull-looking setting, look beautiful. The cinematography captures the mesmerizing yet unsettling atmosphere of the story. Another aspect that makes this movie work so well is the terrific sound design. Hearing something moving in the clouds, the music slowing down and becoming deeper, a light turning off in the distance, the screams. The way Nope uses sounds to create creepy scenes is just wonderful.

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The mystery surrounding the UFO is incredibly engaging. The movie is constantly building suspense surrounding the UFO. Its presence is constantly looming over the characters and as the movie progress, we see more and more of what it is. Peele does interesting things with the UFO and actually makes it kind of scary. Nope has a constant theme that is explored throughout the film and that is “obsession”. Our main characters are obsessed with getting the shot of the UFO and the lengths they will go for it, is insane. Other characters throughout the film are shown with their obsession, especially one with a certain chimp. I enjoyed the explored theme and showing how dangerous it can be.

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However, I do have a fair amount of problems with the film. The story is incredibly disjointed and not very connected either. The story’s main focus is the UFO but it also has a subplot about a chimp that doesn’t amount to anything. I understand that the chimp is another aspect of the theme but it’s not connected whatsoever to the main overall narrative so it just feels like an unnecessary distraction. It also has quite a slow pacing which makes the movie feel longer than it is. It’s also the least scary of the Peele movies. It does have around 3 unsettling scenes but that is not a lot in a 2-hour movie.

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My biggest disappointment has to be the characters though. They’re all very one-dimensional and bland. Daniel Kaluuya plays Otis who is just incredibly stoic and has minimal reactions to everything. Steven plays a charismatic guy who is just kind of there. Brandon Perea plays the most annoying tech salesman ever. Michael Wincott plays a renowned cinematographer that says things that sound profound but don’t mean anything. Keke Palmer who plays Otis’s sister, Em, is probably the only enjoyable character in the film because she has a personality and some kind of arc by the end. The dialogue that comes out of these characters feels so unrealistic or stupid which clashes with the serious tone of the movie.

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Overall, I did enjoy Nope but it is definitely the weakest of his movies so far. It is still worth watching though if you have been a fan of his two previous works. I still think Peele is a phenomenal director and Nope doesn’t change my belief in that. Peele has made me see clouds and chimps in a different light. I can’t wait to see what Peele will do next.


 

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