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NOPE : SUMMER FILM of 2022

film

By TheKorner Published 2 years ago 4 min read
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NOPE, the horror/Sci-fi film directed by Jordan Peele also known for, outstanding projects such as 'GET OUT' & 'US', starring world class black actors like Keke Palmer & Daniel Kaluuya.

Both actors nailed there roles perfectly as OJ and Emerald polar opposites siblings brought up under their authoritarian father on the a horse ranch.

Two siblings are running a horse ranch in California and stumble upon a discovery, something wonderful yet sinister lurking in the skies above, while the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

Without giving it all away, I can definitely recommend this watch if you are a Sci-Fi fan and you're tired of the repetitive alien abduction trope.

Jordan Peele took an interesting approach with the aliens as I'm sure we were all expectant as to what they would look like. I was left shocked but mildly pleased with the way he used zoomorphism to personify the alien.

This was just the tip of the ice-berg when it comes to depth and for-thought put into the plot as well as the direction of the film. 

The title 'Nope' was a recurring joke through out the film, but deeper than that it could also have been a warning to the characters that were about to take on very extra-terrestrial challenge, it was comical to see Daniel shake his head muttering those words repeatedly. 

Not only was it a refreshing take on your alien abduction Jordan used a cyclic story telling method that allowed the story to have clean finish, as the story's opening scene teases the concept of control via the metaphor of animal training, which is then repeated in the climactic encounter towards the end.

Throughout the film we watch the characters further develop and grow into their skins OJ as embodies this fight for control and stability juxtaposed with Emerald who is a wild stallion that won't allow herself to be tied down by anyone or responsibility.

This delicate symbiotic relationship that balances control and chaos/freedom, represented by the siblings, is constantly challenged by polar extremities of the same concepts embodied by other characters, in a race to leave a legacy, by recreating or capturing the magic of pioneering a moment, like the first man on the moon or the first black horse jockey on film.

We follow the characters each in their own way chase this legacy down its winding path to see where it eventually leads them. 

In comparison to Jordan Peele's other projects there are a lot less jump scares but there is also a lot more focus on the character growth because we are given flashbacks and retellings to better understand motive and emotions of the characters opposed to the shock factor from the story line or the reveal of the big bad .

Subsequently all the gems and precious moment of the film are very subtle and minute and almost like playing spot the difference with your reflection. An example of this is the moment OJ signs to Emerald and she signs back but this moment is almost an exact rendition of the past.

 Except this time they both had the opportunity to leave their own legacies and experience something extra-ordinary thanks to the mutual understanding of their own metaphoric roles, control and chaos, represented by the early disharmony inn their professional roles, with one sibling behind the scenes and the other centre stage which eventually becomes harmonious as we see them 'watch out' for each other.

OJ & Emerald grew to a level of self awareness, that allowed them to pause and realise there should always be moment where you take a step back and say 'Nope', stop, admit your drawbacks & limits subsequently allowing someone more suited to take lead with either a plan or improvisation, inadvertently creating advantageous opportunities via control or chaos. Essentially they held each other accountable and this is what set apart from what set them apart from over ambitious characters that leaned to either extreme.

 The concepts of control, restraint, chaos or freedom are those which I feel and have roots in race and sex especially from the visual symbolism and metaphors throughout the film when taking into account each character and what they represent. 

 If you would like to hear these thoughts fully developed on the podcast feel free to check it out and keep and eye on this space.

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About the Creator

TheKorner

Blog & podcast with anime as a focal point to build community for those similar to me the only fix on this block is anime, film, food, music & fiction. click the link to see all the latest posts

THEKORNER

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