Jordan Peele’s thirdfeature film,Nope, has become a streaming hit. The sci-fi horror spectacle of 2022 has found love on the streaming-verse, and by the time of writing, it sits on the seventh spot ofPeacock’s top 10 list of most popular films. Other titles on the list includeThe Woman in the Yard,Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, andDespicable Me 3.
Nopefollows a pair of siblings who are forced to carry on with the family’s business after their father mysteriously dies. OJ and Emerald Haywood live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere in California, where they raise horses for the film business. When spooky stuff starts happening on their ranch, the siblings decide to look up at the sky. At night, a mysterious object hovers over the ranch and feasts on the wandering horses. The Haywoods decide that filming the object may be the key to success, but the extraterrestrials remain coy. And very, very hungry. The Rotten Tomatoes synopsis reads as follows:
After random objects falling from the sky result in the death of their father, ranch-owning siblings OJ and Emerald Haywood attempt to capture video evidence of an unidentified flying object with the help of tech salesman Angel Torres and documentarian Antlers Holst.
15 Easter Eggs Jordan Peele Snuck Into His Movies
If you look at Peele’s movies beyond the surface level, it’s not uncommon to find many hidden references.
Released in July 2022 by Universal Pictures,Nopestars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as the Haywood siblings trying to achieve the money shot. Supporting characters are played by Steven Yeun, Keith David, Michael Wincott, Brandon Perea, Wrenn Schmidt, Barbie Ferreira, and Osgood Perkins, among others. Notable crew members include composer Michael Abels, who does a great job at providing a musical backdrop for the mystery film. Also, veteran Academy Award-winning director of photography Hoyte van Hoytema is in charge of the cinematography,an essential part of the movie.
While not as successful as Peele’s previous filmsGet OutandUs,Nopewas still a smash hit for the writer/director. It grossed more than $171 million from a $68 million production budget, and had a notable weekend debut, breakingthe previous record held byUs. The film was also well-received by critics, and today it sits at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience score boasting a 69% rating. It is much lower than Peele’s other horror films, withUsregistering a score of 93% (61% on the audience score), andGet Outsitting at 98% (86% on the audience score).
‘Nope’ Is a Film That Inspires Deep Interpretation
Nopeis not your average horror sci-fi film ridden with endless jump scares and disturbing imagery. Instead,Peele entices the viewerto look beyond and actually think outside the box. Some of the viewers were captivated by Peele’s message, while others felt stuck in the film’s more mystical approach. A good example of this divisive trait is the reception of the film’s opening sequence, where the set of a TV sitcom becomes the site of a massacre. An acting chimpanzee named Gordy violently reacts to popping balloons on the set and viciously attacks the cast. This scene provides a backdrop for one of the film’s characters, but it is not associated with the plot.
In the middle of the massacre, a shoe is seen standing up. The ape is mauling the cast in the background while the hidden child survivor stares at the perfectly balanced shoe. Its position is impossible, as it seems that an invisible finger is holding it up. Peele himself has addressedthe meaning of this scene, but it proved to be divisive among his fans. The entire movie is shrouded in mystery, with some failing to get the message about spectacle, and monetizing such spectacle. But think about this for a minute: when was the last time a horror movie actually made you think?
Source:Flix Patrol
