Greetings All,

I had a chance to see NOPE, and I wanted to share my thoughts. Before we get started, check out the following trailer if you haven’t already.

Directed by Jordan Peele, NOPE stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun.

After the death of their father, two siblings who run their family’s California horse ranch, OJ and Emerald Haywood (Kaluuya and Palmer), discover a sinister object in the sky. Now on a quest to capture the mysterious figure on film, the Haywood siblings and their friends risk their lives to do so.

I went to the theater expecting a clichéd flick about extraterrestrial activity. And in some ways, I received just that. However, I underestimated the penmanship of Jordan Peele, whose story structure and pacing kept my attention from start to finish.

To begin, the cinematography was superb—beautifully shot with great lighting and intriguing angles. Given the relatively small cast, standard locations, and moderate plot line, Peele and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema did a phenomenal job magnifying elements of the environment, adding personality to each shot.

The characters were also good, aligning perfectly with the film’s energy: intense, calm, and mysterious.

My favorite character was the amusement park owner, Ricky “Jupe” Park, played by Yeun, who’ll forever be known as Glen from The Walking Dead (at least in my eyes).

Without spoiling the film, Ricky’s character had an interesting backstory that should’ve been unpacked more. I’m still scratching my head as to whether or not his story had any connection to the main plot line.

In regards to the mystery antagonist in the sky, I respect the creativity and effort put into its creation. But I would’ve enjoyed a more detailed breakdown as to why it was here, why it chose the location it chose, and what were its motives (if any)? That explanation would’ve added depth to the overall plot and gave the characters’ quest for the “Oprah shot” more value.

Jordan Peele’s writing and creativity are in a lane of their own, especially with his use of actors of color. But although I left the theater relatively satisfied, I still had questions that, in my opinion, could’ve been answered.

A rewatch may help.

Grade of B

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Photo Credit: Indie Wire and Entertainment Weekly