Nope

It would have been a good, suspenseful horror movie, leaving you wondering what on earth is happening... IF it hadn't been for the most over-the-top exaggerated extroverted Keke Palmer filling EVERY SINGLE silent moment where you otherwise COULD have been finding out what's going on yourself.

Mysterious things finally start happening, and while you otherwise would have been left with your own thoughts looking at the mystery through Daniel's perspective, the bubble of mystery is instead burst by Keke's SHRILLING vocal outbursts through the entire ordeal.

The exaggerated, comical accent and tone just ENTIRELY kills the otherwise eerie suspense for me.

Every single attempt of horror moment, she manages to kill. No pun intended.

1. Commentary on exploitative social media accounts that strive for the most clicks regardless of who they negatively impact.

2. Keke Palmer's eccentric performance as Emerald. She should be in way more movies.

3. Daniel Kaluuya's deadpan one liners.

4. Rewatch value, there is build up to each twist and shocking moment. Mysterious and ambiguous scenes become scarier after learning context.

5. Foreshadowing: it is absolutely everywhere. Sometimes done subtly, other times obviously.

6. Subtle details; highly detailed set, script, and outfits, down to the logo on one of the main character's shirt.

7. Sound effects. It goes beyond typical horror noise cues, using unique sounds to build-up scares. The blood curdling screams loudly echoing as the creature flies by are terrifying.

8. Akira motorcycle shot. Thank you Jordan.

The credits have just rolled, and despite running for two hours, it's felt as if it's been on for about four hours.

I can't remember the last time I was so conflicted about a film, the good elements were great, the bad elements were painful, I'll try to be as concise as I can.

I'll start with the great elements, first off, production values are terrific, this is one gorgeously produced film, it looks terrific.

The second aspect that stood out, the acting, Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer were terrific, and I really enjoyed Brandon Perea's performance too.

The storyline itself was a good one, if nothing highly original, I liked that whole monkey scenario, and the way it developed was very satisfying, the sci fi fan in me appreciated several of the key elements, I loved not knowing exactly what was behind that cloud, that aspect worked well.

Unfortunately, it lacked scares, listed as a horror, this was anything but, I wanted thrills and spills, this was more a casual prod. Pacing was definitely an issue, it was just way too slow in parts. Many scenes simply didn't make any sense.

It reminded me of The Cloverfield Paradox, definitely some interesting elements, but too slow and just felt too cobbled together.

Not bad, but it should have been so much better.

5/10.

The biggest praise I can give is the cinematography and camera work. I really enjoy looking at wide shots of landscapes and the slow or sudden movements of the camera pushing the tension and anxiety of the scene without having to rely on dialogue or even any acting.

I think the film will be divisive among its audience though. I think this is due to a couple of reasons. First, the story progression feels confusing at times to what we are used to seeing in a thriller or horror. I think labelling it as horror will automatically steer away some people while those that enjoys horror may be disappointed that it lacks enough scares to be called a horror. The trailer I feel also gives away too much and puts the film in a box that might detract viewers. Ultimately, you really have to be open-minded going to this movie. In respect to the genre, Nope really isn't a horror, but more of a blend of some sci-fi, some mystery, some comedy, and luckily, no romance.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the film. I think for movie lovers this will generally be a good experience. Peele seem to focus more on our shared love for films more than sticking to a particular formula of a single genre. There are many small things you'll enjoy if you already love movies, but it will probably have a visibly different experience to a casual movie goer.

The themes of the film is also a good one, I feel. It feels like a cautionary modern fairy tale and the somewhat real dangers of chasing fame and disrespecting nature.

Jordan Peele is shaping out to be a director whose name alone will generate an audience and I would put Nope as a more captivating experience than Us, and around the same level as Get Out despite being two very different stories. His vision and creativity continues to remain highly interesting and I'm so curious to find out what he goes to work on next!

There is so much going on here and ultimately that is the films biggest weakness. It doesn't really commit to any certain genre. It's genre blending to the max! Still, it's a total blast that will have you laughing in one moment and screaming in the next. The horror elements are my favorite. At this point Peele has proven himself to be a horror master. But this is not really a horror film per say. It's got horror elements as well as comedy, thriller, action, and western. Probably the most unique film to come out in the Covid era. It was a total blast.