Nope – New Release Horror Film Review!

Hi all!

Today I am reviewing the long-awaited, new release from Jordan Peele: Nope. I think it’s safe to say, horror lovers around the world have been hyped for this movie ever since the poster dropped in 2021. It follows two siblings that run a California horse ranch, who discover something wonderful and sinister in the skies above, while the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon. It dropped on the 11th August in Australia and I was overjoyed to get tickets for a session that evening. Without further ado, here are my thoughts! Spoilers ahead!

WHAT WORKED:

WOW! How do I even begin to express how much I enjoyed Nope? Jordan Peele continues to outdo himself. The message in this story is abundantly clear: humans throughout history continue to try and tame predators for their own entertainment. The film references a real-life event, where a woman named Charla Nash was attacked by a chimpanzee and left severely disfigured. She was interviewed on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009. You can check that out here. It also touches on Siegfried & Roy, matadors being gored by their bulls and horses kicking actors during filming. At the same time, the movie interweaves sci-fi elements with a killer flying saucer. This may seem like a strange combination but it really worked. I loved that the extraterrestrial creature was the ship itself and not actual aliens. It too, was being exploited by a human that had survived his own experience with a chimp attack. It shows that mankind never learns. We take what is not ours and get upset when something that wasn’t designed for us retaliates. There are many layers to unpack. I want to watch it again now that I see the full picture. I also want to add that the casting was excellent. Keke Palmer stole the show but Steven Yuen, Daniel Kaluuya and Brandon Perea held their own. Finally, I want to stress that this movie legitimately scared me. The scene where Gordy massacred everybody on set was truly horrifying. The close-up of his face, as he inched towards a young Jupe, had me holding my breath. I felt the scares were very effective. There was symbolism everywhere you looked. I would love to say more but I urge you to see it for yourself and truly pay attention. Try to count how many times Nope is actually said! 

WHAT DIDN’T WORK:

My only criticism is that the middle part dragged a bit. There were a few scenes that could have been edited out, as they didn’t add much to the story. Other than that, it was perfection!

OVERALL STAR RATING: 

I gave it 5/5 stars. I cannot stop thinking about it and honestly believe it’s one of the best horror films I’ve seen this year. 

Thank you so much for reading! Let me know if you’ve watched this film. Did you like it?

Peace & Love xoxo