Nope (2022)

[Eric Prime]

Nah

[Reddroast]

Nope is the best film that Jordan Peele has made. The film plot about society's desensitization to "spectacle" really spoke to me. Everyone is great in this and the cinematography blew my mind

 

A+

[BestPicturePlutoNash]

I've been marinating on this one

 

More I'm away from it, more I dislike. That's not to say it isn't ripe in thematic content. But like Us, I think overall this is more successful as a disparate construct than a film..which is strange because it's a sci-fi blockbuster.

 

This is a film about trauma filtered through media, and both the thrills and harm of spectacle, but the narrative marriage isn't precise. It's why the ending feels contradictory. The film goes out of its way to express how dangerous spectacle is from the monkey attack to the UFO attack during the show to the DP being swallowed by the aliens... yet why is the ending so triumphant? Where is the condemnation? Keke and Kaluuya still got the pictures they wanted while surviving and the ending treats their ordeal as catharsis. The humor is lifeless. The pacing is lackadaisical. The characters are thin, only brought to life by the natural charisma of the performers. It's shockingly devoid of terror and suspense? There's just too much devotion to didactic dialogue. The TMZ photographer feels so shoehorned

 

The alien design was delightfully creative and the house sequence with raining blood is what I wanted from the movie. But at times, the overall scope felt limited despite the canvas. The imagery and compositions aren't very epic or thoughtfully composed. The actors aren't blocked in any interesting manners, the singles and coverage feel basic. The last 50 min or so are genuinely exciting but the only other sequence in first 80 mins that inspires a reaction is the goofy alien prank. 

[filmlover]

A highly effective foray into "spectacle" filmmaking from Jordan Peele that upholds his MO of delightfully subverting expectations. I saw this on a real IMAX screen, and it was definitely worth the extra dollars. Over the course of his first three films, Peele has established himself as a filmmaker who effortlessly mixes sequences of genuine terror (the "Gordy" flashback is a masterclass in tension and arguably the best scene in the movie) and instances of dark humor together, and the move to more Spielberg-esque territory hasn't impacted his undeniable ability to deliver memorable set pieces and imagery. He also clearly knows how to fill his cast with strong actors: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun...all deliver the solid work we expect from them even if this isn't an actor's movie. Brandon Perea is a fun discovery whose career deserves to take off after this.

 

But it also wouldn't be a Peele movie without social commentary, and there's certainly quite a bit to unpack here that ensures it'll hold up on repeat viewings. In particular, he makes some interesting observations about the dangers of milking personal trauma for all it's worth and how people of color tend to be cast aside or forgotten. There are times when the allegories can be really on the nose (the TMZ dude being the most obvious example), but for the most part, Peele avoids treating the audience like they're dumb (Adam McKay, take note).

 

Neither Us or Nope have come close to reaching the high that Peele did when he exploded on the directing scene with Get Out, but there's no questioning that he's cemented himself as one of the most unique (and unexpected) voices to emerge in mainstream filmmaking over the past few decades.

 

B+

[MOVIEGUY]

This movie is legit. Peele's 3/3 with these fun, cool, thought-provoking thrillers. Easily one of the best working directors. The Gordy scene was my favorite.

 

My only complaint is I felt a little disappointed by the alien's design once they started revealing more of it in the final act. It was definitely a unique design, but idk, something about a tentacle-y parachute monster didn't seem SCARY to me. It felt much more intimidating as a sort of dark, hidden, orb thing. That whole "raining blood" sequence was fantastic. Might go rewatch it at the IMAX cause I kinda had trouble hearing dialogue at certain points.

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by MOVIEGUY

[Webslinger]

With Nope, his third and most technically ambitious film to date, writer-director Jordan Peele delivers another captivating piece of funny and freaky entertainment that further cements his status as one of the most interesting studio filmmakers working today. After using Get Out and Us as vehicles for exploring race and class through a horror-comedy lens, Nope sees Peele turning his sights on a narrative that feels more straightforward at first glance, but ultimately has quite a bit to say about trauma and our collective desire to exploit it or consume content about it. As in Peele’s preceding films, the humor, tension, and commentary all mesh so seamlessly that no element overwhelms the other, making for another viewing experience that has little trouble with keeping viewers on their toes. If the commentary perhaps isn’t as sharp as it was in Get Out or Us, Peele makes up for it with greater directorial bravado in the film’s big set pieces – especially a wildly entertaining third act that makes the most of the setting and stakes established in the narrative. There is an abundance of choices that feel genuinely creative, and Hoyte von Hoytema’s cinematography captures the wonder and horror of the film’s setting and how the extraterrestrial being exists within it. (As a side note, I *so* wish I could have seen this in IMAX; even as is, though, the cropped 2.20:1 framing still provides plenty of visual power.) As accomplished as Nope is on a technical level, though, it also never loses sight of its characters. Coming off his Oscar win for Judas and the Black Messiah, Daniel Kaluuya gives another compelling, impressively interiorized performance as grief-stricken horse wrangler OJ. Kaluuya proves up to the task of handling action hero beats while also putting forth a convincing portrayal of a person trying to move on from personal tragedy. As co-lead Em, OJ’s sister, Keke Palmer invests tons of energy, humor, and emotion into the role and succeeds in crafting the film’s most well-rounded performance. There’s also hilarious comedic work from Brandon Perea as the tech store worker who gets caught up in the siblings’ mission to film the extraterrestrial being, brief but committed and highly entertaining work from Steven Yeun as a once-traumatized celebrity out to make a buck, and an admirably serious turn from Michael Wincott as a cinematographer whose manner fits the narrative perfectly while echoing Robert Shaw’s Quint in Jaws. With its high entertainment value and its meaningful engagement with powerful emotions and engaging ideas, Nope is another home run for Peele and a most worthy summer blockbuster. 

 

A-

[cannastop]

I wasn't completely satisfied with the end. Somehow got it in my head they would give up on getting the money shot.

The movie gets less and less weird as it goes on.

 

B+

Edited July 30, 2022 by cannastop

[solaris]

His best directed film, from his worst screenplay. That being said, there are sequences and ideas in this film that I love, and which will stick with me for a long time. 

 

It's far too shaggy (particularly the first act), and even when the film picks up the pace it becomes hard to follow exactly what's happening.

 

And spare a thought for poor Mary Jo... She survived one horrific attack only to be digested alive. That 5 second shot from inside the alien will haunt me forever.

[sneazzy95]

I can't say that I hate it, but it wasn't what I expected at all.

Edited July 24 by sneazzy95

[baumer]

Didn't hate it like I did US.

 

But it's not too far off.

 

5/10