Vidostream | News, sport and opinion from the Vidostream's US edition

https://vidostream.com

'Nope' review: Jordan Peele takes UFOs for a successful spin with Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer

Get Out' director Jordan Peele makes his UFO movie with 'Nope'"
Nope / UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Nope / UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Yep, it was a good idea for Jordan Peele to have the keys to a flying saucer movie.

The subtly ambitious “Nope” (★★★ out of four; rated R; in theaters Friday) trades the writer/director’s penchant for horror – where he’s become one of the most important new voices in recent years – for some old-fashioned sci-fi terror and full-on big-screen spectacle.

Teamed again with his “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya and bringing a great Keke Palmer along for the ride, Peele takes sizable swings with themes amid a tasty slushie of familiar film flavors, from dark Spielbergian wizardry to wonky Tarantino Western to B-movie chills.

'Nope':Jordan Peele explains meaning behind his mysterious new movie's title
 

Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer play horse trainers living in a California gulch where strange things start happening in Jordan Peele's horror film 'Nope.'
Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer play horse trainers living in a California gulch where strange things start happening in Jordan Peele's horror film "Nope."UNIVERSAL PICTURES


The introverted OJ Haywood (Kaluuya) and his mercurial little sister Emerald (Palmer) are Hollywood horse wranglers living on a remote California ranch. Their business is struggling six months after the untimely death of their father (Keith David), a victim of a strange downpour of coins and metal. And things are getting weirder in this dusty gulch for them and Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun), a former child actor with a tragic backstory who runs the neighboring amusement park.

While Jupe readies for a major new attraction, OJ begins to notice a weirdness on the ground and in the sky. His horses start going missing. A cloud sits still and doesn’t move. Then a strange airborne object zooms around with otherworldly speed.

10 must-see movies coming out this summer:From 'Top Gun: Maverick' to 'Thor: Love and Thunder'

Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer, center, with Daniel Kaluuya and Brandon Perea) gets roped into a bunch of weirdness on the family ranch in 'Nope.'
Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer, center, with Daniel Kaluuya and Brandon Perea) gets roped into a bunch of weirdness on the family ranch in "Nope."UNIVERSAL PICTURES


Wondering if aliens are involved, he and Emerald decide they need proof (and the financial windfall that might come with it), so the siblings enlist the help of an overeager tech guy (Brandon Perea) and a grizzled filmmaker (Michael Wincott).

“Nope” isn’t a particularly scary UFO film but is effectively unnerving. Peele plays with his audience in devilish ways before going big and bold with the visuals (particularly Hoyte van Hoytema’s dazzling cinematography) as well as the white-knuckle tension. Just don’t go in expecting “Get Out” or “Us”: Peele’s first two standouts are focused in human explorations, whereas “Nope” is more scattershot with its storytelling. The filmmaker touches on an array of subplots and intriguing ideas (the dangerous indifference of show business, mankind’s disparate reactions to a life-altering situation) but attempts too many between a visceral, gripping first half and the more conventional and rousing second.

Pandemic style:How Daniel Kaluuya slayed (and saved) Hollywood's red carpet season
 

Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun) has a major new attraction at his amusement park in 'Nope.'
Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun) has a major new attraction at his amusement park in ope"  - UNIVERSAL PICTURES


The supporting characters are a mixed bag: Perea’s frazzled geek-squad dude adds to the movie’s dark humor, though Yeun’s modern P.T. Barnum is an interesting soul not developed enough. But the dynamic of Kaluuya and Palmer power “Nope” just as much as the overarching mysteries.

OJ is a laconic sort yearning to keep his family’s legacy going, Emerald sees the ranch as low priority on her list of side hustles, yet both grow on you in their slow-burn reconnection. Palmer especially is a fountain of magnetic energy, and Kaluuya, like usual, leaves his heart right on screen. He also gets one of the most sensational little moments, in a scene that essentially gives the movie its whimsical title.

With "Nope," Peele showcases a new sense of blockbuster flair while maintaining his signature gift for twisted modern relevance.

'The Gray Man' review:Even Ryan Gosling and evil Chris Evans can't save Netflix's so-so spy film

Author: Editors Desk

Source: USA Today

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second