BARE BONES: NOPE (2022)

NOPE (2022)

Latest flick from Jordan Peele has siblings OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Em (Keke Palmer) Haywood struggling to keep their horse training ranch afloat after the accidental death of their father (Keith David). Having to sell off their horses is the least of their worries as something sinister, lethal and possibly extraterrestrial is inhabiting the skies surrounding their property.

 

Flick is written and directed by Peele and is a resounding disappointment, especially after a promising first half. It starts out quite spooky as Peele knows how to construct scary sequences, no better example than OJ’s foray into their stables one night after hearing noises. When things are kept in shadows and mystery, the film delivers some nice goosebumps. It’s in the second act when things are brought into the light that the film loses its grip and things go from scary to outright silly. Much like his sophomore effort Us, there are some cool ideas here, but the execution of those ideas is a bit shaky and there are far too many unanswered questions to be satisfying. At well over two hours, a lot could have been cut with no harm to the plot, like western carnival owner Ricky’s (Steven Yeun) past as a childhood TV star and a traumatic experience with a simian costar’s vicious and deadly rampage. Why was this sub-plot even there? As with Us Peele has too many ideas, some admittingly very clever, and does more harm than good trying to shoehorn them all into one film. Sometimes less is more. Add to that a downright silly final confrontation with our airborne invader and you a flick that starts strong and ends on a goofy whimper. Also stars Michael Wincott as an eccentric filmmaker and Brandon Perea as a UFO enthusiast tech guy.

-MonsterZero NJ