"Nope": Spectacle Over Sense
“Nope” by acclaimed director Jordan Peele is his most ambitious and unique project to date. While it proudly wears the influence of Peele’s previous work, “Nope” stands out as a particularly strange movie among a collection of already unique titles.
The film follows twin animal coordinators who inherit their families ranch, OJ and Emerald, after they get fired from the set of their latest movie. When experiencing several unexplained phenomenons on the ranch, the siblings become convinced that they are being observed and preyed upon by an alien spacecraft, and the main conflict of the movie surrounds their clever attempts to prove the existence of the alien ship.
As an alien abduction movie, “Nope” is competent at building the proper mystery and suspense that is necessary for a story like this, but where the movie really stands out is in its subtly depicted themes, as well as its undying commitment to providing an unforgettable spectacle.
“Nope's” most unique feature is its strange and brilliant blend of comedy, spectacle, and horror. “Nope’s” tone switches between these three aspects throughout the runtime, which adds to the peculiar nature of the film, and keeps the action going at a good pace. There were several moments throughout the movie where I’d be confused as to what the intended emotion was supposed to be, but I found the unpredictability to be a key aspect in my enjoyment of the film. The cast of the movie, most notably Angel Torres, brings its comedic edge, with every character being interesting at least, and captivating at most. Tense and terrifying scenes are alleviated by the characters' interactions in a way that brings charm to the movie rather than making you roll your eyes. The movie’s horror elements, while not as prevalent here as in Peele’s previous works, were effective and really nailed the feeling of terror and helplessness that alien movies often try to portray. Keeping away from spoilers, “Nope” provides a clever twist on the stereotypical image of a flying saucer, turning it into a far more intimidating presence than if it had been more conventional. One thing this movie excels at is spectacle; the movie is populated with so many visually striking scenes and intense set pieces that you are not likely to find anywhere else. Even if the plot itself doesn’t strike your fancy, many of the most climactic scenes will have your undivided attention purely based on their visual impact.
When reviewing movies, I place more importance on the writing, plot and characters, but “Nope” provides so many unique set pieces that I feel inclined to judge the film’s merit based on its visuals more than its writing. “Nope’s” horror aspects are spectacularly unique and well executed, but the witty characters and emphasis on spectacle keep it from being a true horror movie. “Nope’s” dialed down horror is a quality that many viewers will appreciate, although others may find it strays too much from what is to be expected of a Jordan Peele movie.
As much as I have praised “Nope’s” unmatched spectacle, it often results in some questionable writing. “Nope”, much more than any other film by Jordan Peele, is chock full of allegory and metaphors. The film deals with ideas like the discrediting of black people in the creation of the film industry, as well as how humans are instinctively drawn to spectacle, no matter how frightening or dangerous it is. These themes may be interesting, but there are parts of the movie that feel contrived in order to convey the messaging more clearly. There is one plotline in this movie that is built up from the very beginning, yet is resolved halfway through the runtime and is never mentioned again. It felt like Peele had a lot to say with that plotline, but didn’t know how to properly tie it in with the main plot, instead deciding to hurriedly cram it into the second act with no real payoff. Well-established characters will take actions that result in a spectacle, but don’t actually make a lot of sense when put under scrutiny. Other characters will be introduced and promptly forgotten about or killed off within ten minutes. Many viewers will find these scenes to be jarring and nonsensical, but others might find that the subtext and intent of these scenes make up for the strange writing. Whatever your views might be, it is undoubtable that these choices don’t follow standard writing conventions, and it’s up to the audience to decide whether that’s a good or bad thing.
“Nope” is a movie that often doesn’t make complete logical sense, but provides an immensely unique experience full of entertaining characters, deep subtext, and unparalleled spectacle. While I found ”Nope” to be a stunning achievement in terms of visual spectacle and presentation of themes, I recognize that there are many shortcomings when it comes to its structure and writing. I was able to personally look past those faults, as I believe the main purpose of the movie was to offer an unforgettable and frequently nonsensical experience, which it succeeded at completely. “Nope” is a movie I would highly recommend to people who are willing to look past the many inconsistencies the film throws at you and just enjoy its charming weirdness and absurdity.
Christopher Eckl