Jordan Peele’s third directorial venture 'Nope' tells the story of Hollywood horse wranglers OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer) who attempt to capture on camera mysterious occurrences that they witness in the sky.
At their assistance is a tech salesman Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) and documentarian Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott). Jordan Peele is one of the most respected directors in the horror genre. His debut film 'Get out' (2017) was embraced by both critics and masses alike. 'Us' (2019) garnered a mixed response from the audience while 'Nope' is Peele’s most polarising film yet.
The director attempts to explore the human fascination with spectacles, even if it is tragic or horrifying. Following the death of their father, the Haywood siblings set out to capture a high-resolution visual of a UFO, what Emerald describes as the “Oprah Shot” in the hopes of gaining a fortune.
'Minari' fame Steven Yeun plays an actor-turned-businessman who capitalises on the tragic shut down of a show he was part of as a child. And then, there is a documentarian who is always in pursuit of the unachievable “perfect shot”.
While the film attempts to comment on broad social themes, the pacing of the film takes a hit. The setup is too long and uncharacteristic of Peele, there are many scenes that have no inherent scares or thrills and loud music is used to jar the audience.
Keke Palmer delivers an energetic performance. Her character is loud and boisterous. A lesser actor would have gone overboard but Keke finds the right metre for the character. Daniel Kaluuya, delivers an understated performance, playing a passive character that mostly responds to his surroundings and takes initiative only towards the end.
The visuals crafted by cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema are spectacular, The night shots, particularly, stand out. The sound design adds to the uneasiness in the second half and the music is reminiscent of some of the older Spielberg films.
Overall the film is a mixed bag.