Black COVERFIELD, with a western twist and a lot of swag!
Jordan Peele is the kind of filmmaker that surprised those inside and outside of the industry with the release of GET OUT. Commonly known as a “funny man,” it was kind of an oxymoron to have someone who’s best known for humor, flip-the-script and present one of the best psychological, social-commentary thrillers for many lifetimes to come and over. Setting up a cryptic narrative and watching it flow was one of the best film-based experiences ever. Then clout granted him US, which also had an interesting twist and although it wasn’t as effective as GET OUT, it was high up there on a thought-provoking matter and quite enjoyable, too. Honestly, I didn’t hate it. With power and money on his side after two successful flicks, NOPE did seem to be a bit more ambitious in a blockbusterish kind of way based on the trailer and sure enough!
The premise for NOPE is simple and it’s as follows: a caretaking family at a California horse ranch encounter a mysterious force that affects human and animal behavior. That’s all I’m gonna say. Vague, but it’s best that it stays this way – less is mas!
For starters, it’s another complex flick. Well… not really, but kinda. I know I need to see this again to re-register a lot. So, I’ll keep it as simple as I can with this review. This is not your ordinary Peele piece. Its got Peele appeal, but off the bat, don’t go into this expecting anything remotely close to his last two flicks. This one’s got blockbuster all over it. Commercial – for lack of a beter term. Many will feel he’s “sold out” or lost his “touch,” but what he does is present you with what’s somewhat of a slow burn, but methodically done, with a result of his own presentation of a sci-fi, alien invasion piece, blended with a western appeal, an eclectic cast, phenomenal sound mixing – that’ll make your soul rattle, and overall wise interesting execution of making contact, wich brilliantly ties into the film’s title. It all ties in well. There’s intensity, humor, drama, blood, suspense, gorgeous scenery, interesting characters, and a cryptic soundtrack.
Whether or not it was worth the wait will be argued by film aficionados, but I was fine with the end result. Was it ambitious? Sure. Was it his best? No. Is it worth a watch? Yes! He’s got an eye for storytelling and I, for one, am still on board.
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Genre: Horror/Thriller/Sci-Fi | Rated: R | Run Time: 2:15
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Yeun, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott
Directed by Jordan Peele
Official Movie Website: https://www.nope.movie/
