'Nope' A Review

Nope is a scifi thriller about an alien encounter in and around the Haywood Ranch which specializes in horse wrangling for the film industry. The film opens in 1998 with a chimp attack on a sticom set, flashforward and OJ(Daniel Kaluuya) is working with his father Otis(Keith David) on the ranch when Otis is inexplicably killed by falling debris. In the wake of his death the ranch struggles and after additional strange occurrences OJ and his sister Em(Keke Palmer) attempt to catch the alien on film.

Kaluuya gives a grounded, dynamic performance. Absolutely owning the screen whenever he's on it. He's always had an ease on camera but as he's gotten older there's an inexplicable restrained grace, like an old Hollywood throwback like Paul Newman. He seems just wholly himself, wholly the character, and it's really compelling, magnetic. You can't take your eyes off him. And he exudes this pervasive sense of competence and comfort. Palmer also gives a dimensional turn but the character as written is kind of bafflingly shallow and combative. The characters contradictions and conflict are unnecessary and seem to pile on in a story already overstuffed with ideas but short on clarity of purpose. The supporting cast is wonderful but underutilized- Michael Wincott, Wrenn Schmidt, and Keith David- all have little to do and Steven Yeun's sub-plot is underdeveloped and vague to the point of incomprehension.

Visually delicious, the wide skies and desert is absolutely beautiful and it paints a broad back drop for the alien entity to flit around. All the horse work is great, a solid soundtrack with some thrilling needle drops, the craft and the production are immaculate it's just the script that falters. There are simply too many ideas going on, none of which are given the time to really coalesce, there are no real conclusions to draw, no clear allegory. There are some great set pieces, some great sequences, but emotionally it's too thin, overly intellectualized. 

Stunning production and an excellent cast can't overcome the fact that narratively it's reach exceeds it's grasp.

Currently in theaters coming soon to VOD.

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