Jordan Peele’s “Nope” Combines Horror And Western In A Hitchcock Style Thriller
When Key and Peele premiered on Comedy Central, no one would’ve expected that Jordan Peele would hold a spot of such critical acclaim as a director. Yet, here we are. Three films into his directorial career, he only continues to impress critics and audiences with his original takes in a genre that many had thought to have gone stale
The opening moments of "Nope" leaves the audience with a silent dread as they’re faced with a bloodied chimp. This plot thread won’t be explored until much later in the film, but it portrays one of the film's most prevalent themes: animal handling in Hollywood. The film cuts to the main characters who are shown to be professional animal handlers in the film industry. While OJ, one of the characters, tries to give the staff direction, he is undermined by them and his sister, Emerald, causing his horse to go haywire. Where most films attempt to give the audience a character to experience themselves in the form of someone who is learning the situation as it unfolds, OJ silently observes everything. He only comments when skeptical and acts once he’s sure of his actions.
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This is just one of the many themes within the film that radiates Western. A strong, silent character that reacts to the world around him. He has a mission and knows how to follow it through, though it’s not always clear to those watching. Only by the end, when the dust has settled, will those watching truly understand his motivations and how he’s reached those points.
The other characters seem caught up in the horror aspect of this film, but not in a bad way. While OJ remains calm, the others are blown away by the prospect of a possible alien invasion. The use of the stereotypical flying saucer radiates that of a 1950s or 60s alien film that has been modernized for audiences. Only fitting the era more, Jordan Peele evokes his inner Hitchcock by using minimalistic effects combined with a grandiose plot. The main characters and plot take center stage, while the subplot and side characters add to the mystery surrounding the film's events.
The saucer in question is a character in itself. Its appearances will fill the audience with a sense of dread and horror, utilizing silence and atmospheric sound to bolster the sound effects of its arrival. When it is on screen, one may be surprised by the suspense and fear it evokes. The scenes truly capture the shock of seeing the unexplained with the characters’ reactions to those events. No one could comprehend or believe what the characters are seeing without witnessing it themselves. This leaves the first half of the film with a constant sense of secluded paranoia.
The second half can be summed up perfectly by Steven Yeun's character, Jupe, when he states “What if I told you in an hour, you’d leave here different?” This is when everything truly kicks into overdrive. All that the characters have been searching to explain comes to fruition before everyone’s eyes, and subverts expectations by proving they had everything and nothing right altogether. If this statement is confusing, then you feel just as the main characters do. While it is explained in the context of the film, so many questions arise that one can’t help but yearn for a sequel even though the movie is practically an open and shut case.
“Nope” currently places number one at the box office, overtaking Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. Jordan Peele delivered a masterpiece with this film that radiates "instant classic" energy. Since the pandemic, most cinematic successes have been seen by superhero films. This film proves that there is still a place for other genres and filmmakers to make their mark. Here’s to looking forward to whatever he may make next. Until then, check out "Nope" in a theater near you.
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