In Nope, we are introduced to OJ Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya) and his sister Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer), who inherit their family’s horse ranch following the mysterious death of their father. They maintain the business by training and renting out horses for film productions. Facing financial challenges, OJ has been compelled to sell several horses to former child star Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun), who operates a Western-themed show. Living in a remote rural area, they begin to observe unusual phenomena in the sky – strange sounds, lights, and unidentified shapes. Driven by curiosity, they set up cameras to capture this phenomenon, initially unaware of the considerable danger they are about to encounter.
The renowned film critic Leonard Maltin penned an exceptionally concise review for the 1948 film Isn’t it romantic, simply stating: No. My sentiments regarding Nope echo this brevity; the film essentially reviews itself: Nope. A common issue with highly anticipated films is the creation of elevated expectations, leading to potential disappointment when the final product fails to meet those lofty standards.
Unfortunately, Nope fell into this category. This marks the third film from director and screenwriter Jordan Peele, who gained prominence with Get Out. Prior to that, he was primarily known for his comedic work. While Get Out contained some weaker scenes, the overall quality of the film established it as a competently executed horror piece. Peele’s subsequent film, Us, did not reach the same level of success as Get Out, exhibiting an increased number of underwhelming scenes.
Therefore, the release of Nope held uncertain prospects. Regrettably, it represents a further decline. The most significant issue lies with the performance of lead actor Daniel Kaluuya. While commendable in Get Out, his portrayal here lacks direction. His gaze appears consistently detached, and his movements are perfunctory and devoid of engagement, regardless of the situation. Initially, I attributed this to grief over his father’s death, but his sluggish and indifferent demeanor is present from the film’s opening scenes.
Another aspect of Nope that I found problematic is the characters’ peculiar reactions to the supernatural events. Their primary focus seems to be on exploiting the phenomenon for financial gain – showcasing it to an audience in Jupe’s case, or attempting to capture photographic evidence in the Haywood siblings’ case. While I recognize the underlying social commentary, it could have been conveyed with greater subtlety rather than being presented so heavy-handedly. Furthermore, the characters frequently make questionable decisions, making it difficult for the audience to empathize with them.
It is unfortunate that Nope falters in terms of its script and direction, as the film does possess notable strengths. Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography is genuinely exceptional, and the special effects are remarkably well-executed. The most compelling segment of the film, which I thoroughly enjoyed and would have welcomed a full-length exploration of, is the subplot involving child star Jupe’s comedy series. The series features a chimpanzee co-star who unexpectedly turns violent and attacks the actors. All scenes related to this storyline are genuinely brilliant and unsettling. Additionally, the special effects employed for the digital ape are among the finest I have encountered.
The Blu-ray release presents a crisp and stable image in 1080p with a high frame rate. There is no evidence of color bleeding or lag during rapid camera movements. The colors appear realistic, and the black levels are deep, devoid of compression artifacts. The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos, a significant advantage as this lossless track is included even on the BD release, a feature typically reserved for UHD versions. The sound exhibits excellent dynamic range, particularly during the film’s climax, effectively engaging the home theater system. A UHD release of Nope is not available on the Swedish market; therefore, those seeking a 4K viewing experience must purchase the import version for approximately 400 SEK. A further omission is the lack of extra material. This is perplexing, as consumers who purchase films on physical media today are typically dedicated film enthusiasts who seek the best possible presentation and desire EXTRA MATERIAL! Extra features exist for this film, and there is ample space on the disc, making the film companies’ decision to omit them baffling.
In conclusion, while I was not entirely satisfied with Nope as a whole, the inclusion of some truly exceptional scenes and the Blu-ray release’s commendable picture and sound quality prevent a completely negative rating. However, it is a weaker film than Us and considerably inferior to Get Out.
SF Studios provided review copies for this evaluation. Material providers have no editorial influence over our reviews; we maintain independent writing with a focus on readers and consumers.
