Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer star in an otherworldly thriller that follows in the heady and ambitious footsteps of Peele's 'Get Out' and 'Us.'
And so while evil still lurks within, as it often does in Peele’s movies, here it also swoops and soars overhead in a cheekily outlandish story that the writer-director seems to have cooked up during an epic binge of “War of the Worlds” , “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” “The Thing From Another World” , “Signs,” “Arrival” and especially “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
This connection is driven home by a few horrifying if discreetly framed flashbacks to an old ’90s family sitcom whose chimpanzee star, Gordy, would appear to have been at least partially inspired by a real-life simian celebrity named Travis. If that doesn’t ring a bell, resist the urge to Google; you’re better off hearing Gordy’s story in the words of a former co-star, Ricky “Jupe” Park .
In the meantime, you can savor the prickles of comic tension between O.J. and Em, and appreciate how Kaluuya’s and Palmer’s initially clashing rhythms — his slow and dour, hers fast and excitable — gradually come to complement each other as their characters join forces.
As in “Us,” Peele shows a fondness for Old Testament scripture, opening here with a grim quote from the prophet Nahum: “I will cast abominable filth at you, make you vile, make you a spectacle.” That latter word, “spectacle,” is crucial; it sets the stage for Peele’s inquiry into the business of exploiting Mother Nature’s creations — be they chimp or horse — for the purposes of mass entertainment.
All of which may leave “Nope” feeling like something of a B-movie ouroboros, an unusually well-made and imaginative thriller that’s sometimes tripped up by its own high-mindedness — and also, perhaps, by a closing stretch that struggles to bring Peele’s grand intentions together.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Q&A: Jordan Peele on the dreams and nightmares of 'Nope'There’s little in contemporary movies quite like the arrival of a new Jordan Peele film.
Read more »
Jordan Peele Comments On Possible Get Out 2NopeMovie director Jordan Peele comments on the sequel potential for his horror hit GetOut and whether or not there's anything left for it: 'Never say never.'
Read more »
Jordan Peele Dishes on the Dreams and Nightmares of ‘Nope'There’s little in contemporary movies quite like the arrival of a new Jordan Peele film. Here's a peek inside.
Read more »
Jordan Peele Teases Mysterious 'Nope' Plot (Exclusive)The Oscar-winning director played coy about the meaning his new film, 'Nope,' and gushed about his stars.
Read more »
Jordan Peele: ‘Nope’ Had to Be About Black Joy, Not Just Black Horror, to Fit Into 2022With “Thor: Love and Thunder” now in theaters, the next big Hollywood tentpole this summer movie season is Jordan Peele’s “Nope.” The Universal release reunites the Os…
Read more »
Review: J-Hope's 'Jack In The Box' Proves He's One Of K-Pop's Greatest LyricistsListening to j-hope's 'Jack In The Box' is akin to flipping through the pages of his diary, but it feels like there’s much more to be said
Read more »