In the last decade, horror has gone from a genre widely laughed at, which was known for full-on gore, endless jump scares, and not much substance in its plots. Now cut to 2022. Horror is one of the most inventive and creative genres of film, thanks to movies such as “Get Out” and “Us,” which come from the innovative mind of Writer/Director Jordan Peele. He has established his name in this genre and propelled his films into popular culture. And now he has released his latest film, “Nope,” which may be his most original yet.
With all of Peele’s work, there is a lot of secrecy around the film’s plot, as every shot has endless clues to society’s more significant issues. This allows audiences to scrutinize every single word and work out for themselves the subject matter of his latest film. The movie combines science fiction and comedy, with the backdrop of a Western, which makes it Peele’s most unique and original film of his career. The promotion of the film has been very vague; posters show the main characters looking up to the sky, which links to the science fiction element of the film as they may be looking up at a UFO. But as we all know, Peele would not give away the plot in a poster. The film keeps the audience hooked as to what it is all about.
Reuniting with Daniel Kaluuya
Peele reunites with Daniel Kaluuya, who he worked with on “Get Out” which allowed Kaluuya to rise to fame and earn an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Chris Washington. Kaluuya plays OJ, who trains horses that for Hollywood films and TV. When his father dies after an unusual turn of events he inherits his ranch, joined by his sister, played by Keke Palmer.
Steven Yuen in a scene from “Nope.” (Photo: Universal Pictures).
The comedy from the film comes from Palmer’s character Emerald, who undoubtedly steals the show with her quips and her sibling squabbles with OJ. They come across a neighbor played by Steven Yuen, who is a former child star with a troubled past and he now runs a show at the local carnival. Then something strange keeps happening over the ranch, which connects the main characters and they all must work with each other to figure out what is happening in the sky.
A Unique, Fresh Addition to the Horror Genre
This film is a slow burn, but even in the weaker moments it still keeps the audience invested. This is due to the incredible cast, particular Kaluuya and Palmer who you believe have been siblings all their life. Additionally, Peele’s incredible direction brings uniqueness and an originality that has not been seen before in this genre.
“Nope” is currently only available to watch in theaters.
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