Director : Jordan Peele
Platform : In theatre
It took me a while to process this highly anticipated horror movie of 2022 – Nope. As I came out of the theatre, I was sure it didn’t meet my expectations. Still, the movie had its fair share of noteworthy eerie moments.
Though his previous works – Get Out and Us – are not my all-time favourite, the subtle social commentary mixed with horror in his movies made me intrigued enough to give Nope a try. Also, who doesn’t want to watch a horror movie involving a mysterious extraterrestrial entity?
Nope is a slow-burn horror that often leans into the sci-fi genre. The first half of the movie is successful in building a tense environment. It keeps the characters and the audience guessing about the unknown entity in the sky. There are even a couple of well-done unsettling sequences. But except these, Nope doesn’t offer many scares.
The lack of horror is compensated by some action-packed sequences, which again aren’t devoid of problems. These sequences abruptly end, the characters conveniently escape and do not even show signs of struggle.
Despite these issues, the characters are the real soul of the movie who keeps the movie engaging enough. Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea and Steven Yeun are all pleasing to watch. At points, Steven Yeun steals the show and his tragic yet unexplainable backstory just adds a perfect mystery to the plot.
Talking about Daniel Kaluuya, initially his character has some substance. His character is not comfortable in publicising his family history or his ranch business. All the PR activities are done by his sister. But he is determined to make his ranch business survive. He would do anything to make his father and his family proud. Later on, all this character building goes nowhere and his character has the least part to play.
In the end, Nope is a movie with spectacular visuals, creepy animals and a few unsettling scenes. After the movie finishes, it leaves a few unexplained plotlines, encouraging curious movie lovers to discuss their different theories with their friends. Nope with its unique start has a lot of potential, but this ambitious project isn’t able to cope up making it not nearly as good as Get Out or Us.
Trailer:
Need some horror movie recommendations ?
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An Indian reviewer who writes about horror and thriller movies/series. If not movies, he likes to pick up a mystery book to read. Some of his favourite movies/series include Stranger Things, Elite (S1-3), Train to Busan, Andhadhun, Strangers: Prey at Night.