Nope (2023)

I feel there's been a bit of a dry spell since I've seen a good old U.F.O. film. With the superhero and fantasy boom, I sense those stories have been growing increasingly more dated in the public's eye. Movie watchers would rather be immersed in an alien world from the get go than challenged with unknown visitations. Even a lot of the best U.F.O. films of recent memory have a deliberately throwback feel or fail to update the genre to the modern film zeitgeist. So when director Jordan Peele, known for his timely social commentary and humor, was set to direct what seemed to be an alien film I was excited for a fresh take on the genre.

And for once, a buildup like that does not lead to my disappointment. Not only is Nope one of the best U.F.O. films out there, but for me it cements Peele as an interesting visionary. Its story is pretty standard on the surface: an unknown force terrorizes a gulch while a band of misfits attempt to document its existence. With Peele, however, it's all about the themes. Nope is deliberately split into chapters, each with its own highlighted theme. From trauma to racism to spectacle to animalism; the film easily could have been a hodge-podge but it flows seamlessly, because paired with its distinct theme each chapter also highlights and informs us on a member of its delightful ensemble.

I love ensemble casts in films which is why it's great to see Peele leaning even more in this direction like he did with 2019's Us. The characterization in this film is like the tractor beam that pulls the experience to greater heights. Each member feels useful to the story even if they aren't given equal screen time, with clear, defined personalities and motivations. Even the extraterrestrial threat has character and we genuinely come to understand it in a way I have seen in very few alien films. So much focus is on understanding the threat in order to combat it, but it's much more compelling to go further. To understand why it's a threat and reflect on it. And to see how that principal affects these different characters, strengthens the bond I had with them. There's also not a single bad performance in the lot, nor can I say any one actor steals the show because of the general quality of the cast.

On top of all that, Nope is a bona-fide blockbuster flick. Shot on 65mm with an IMAX camera; cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema is so versatile in his ability to capture moments of intimacy alongside grand moments of spectacle. The whole final act allows us to let go and recline into the rising action that the film has been teasing. The sound design carefully tailored to the project, adding to the mystery of the story and the grandiosity of the visuals. Nope is the film in a director's cannon where you feel they are applying all the lessons they've learned from their past projects. And to see Peele execute at this level with such confidence is so satisfying. I've seen this film many times now and I can still admire it like I did when I had first watched it. Will I ever tire of it? I think the title speaks for itself.