Similar to Jordan Peele’s last feature (Us), Nope opens with a subplot – the aftermath of a series of brutal attacks involving a chimp on a children’s television show. We aren’t given too much, just enough to make us feel a bit unnerved, and then we move on to the main story.
After suffering the loss of their Father due to a bizarre “accident”, siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) take over the family business, the Hollywood Haywood Horses Ranch. Not only is the movie industry not all it’s cracked up to be without their Dad to take the (literal) reins but the Haywoods also seem to have a visitor in the form of a mysterious sinister cloud that doesn’t seem to move…
The initial pacing of this feature is perfect, not relying on jump scares but instead making you double take which causes you to feel well and truly unsettled. The open ranch setting adds a sense of vulnerability and exposure, as it’s harder to hide from whatever kind of Unidentified Flying Object may be lurking in the clouds.
As OJ and Emerald’s investigation progresses, the suspense builds before we are met with exactly what kind of creature they are dealing with. And this is done through a horrific and yet gorgeous scene in which we witness the downpour of what can only be described as a BLOOD MONSOON over a house – a sequence which could very well have earned its place amongst most memorable horror movie moments.
The only problem is, we’re only two-thirds of the way through at this point in time and this is pretty much where the story reaches its peak. After this, the feature kind of trails off, becoming less scary and instead has a tone which isn’t too dissimilar to 1990’s Tremors, before delivering us an acceptable conclusion but definitely not a satisfactory one.
Despite this, there is still a lot to love about this feature. The characters are strong, there are some really clever themes, genuinely jaw-dropping moments and – from zoetropes to Akira homages – Peele demonstrates his love and knowledge of cinema throughout, wonderfully. Not to mention, we are met with a refreshingly new portrayal of a “visitor” like you’ve never seen before.
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