“Nope” is actually a yes

By Josie Martinez, Reporter

“Nope” is written and directed by Jordan Peele, who also directed blockbuster movies “Get Out” and “Us.” “Nope” follows the story of two siblings running a horse ranch for Hollywood films in California, whose business is suffering after a tragedy in their family. They quickly discover something looming over their ranch, with a nearby theme park manager trying to profit off of the phenomenon.

The film’s greatest strength comes down to the cast. Otis Jr. or OJ, played by Daniel Kaluuya, is a somber yet interesting character who has many great things to offer. Keke Palmer plays Emerald Haywood, OJ’s sister who is the polar opposite of her brother. Steven Yeun plays Ricky “Jupe” Park, a man ruined by tragedy. Finally, Angel Torres, who is played by Brandon Perea, is a character who adds some much needed humor to this movie. They all bounce off each other perfectly. Each character is written and acted wonderfully, and each actor does an excellent job making us feel connected with the characters that they play.

The universe of “Nope” is one that’s easy to love. It feels very realistic, and the characters are a big part of that. Their distinct personalities make them very recognizable and feel authentic—something that I think many characters in other new movies have lost. These characters build up the world of “Nope” and do it in a fantastic way that makes this film very memorable and refreshing to watch.

Despite the wonderful things this movie has to offer, the greatest downfall of the film is the ending. The open-endedness of the final few minutes simply didn’t work with this film. Compared to Peele’s other two films, this movie is simpler and has a more straight-forward feel for the majority of the film. By opening the ending up to interpretation, it contrasts from the rest of the film and feels off. If the ending gave us closure, I feel the ending would wrap the film up nicely. The only way I think this movie could feel complete is if a sequel was made; however, based off of the other Peele films, open-endedness is his go-to and it seems likely that it won’t happen which is disappointing.

The thing that worked best about this film was the messages within it. If it was done any differently, it wouldn’t have worked as well as it did. The idea of people using tragedy to get some sort of clout or profit is something that’s important to call out in our society. It’s very common in the era of social media, especially with younger generations becoming desensitized to tragedies and having the need to be known. The other message is that Hollywood and major parts of society choose to ignore the work of people of color and the things invented by them. It’s another thing that happens in our society, but—instead of the ignorance becoming more common—it’s actually disappearing. Although, it’s important to note that the second theme in the movie is slowly becoming less common. People are slowly realizing the importance of recognizing people of color’s work, and using their voices to lift those people up instead of hiding them away.

Overall, “Nope” is a brilliant movie that brings to light multiple important issues in our society and is just entertaining to watch. While it does have a few issues worth noting, the movie is definitely a great film. “Nope” is an enjoyable movie that just about anyone could enjoy.

Rating: 8.5/10