Movie Review # 546: Nope (2022)

And now, for the third movie review for this week, we are going to be reviewing a live-action film that is, oddly considered part of the horror genre for some reason. Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, and some other people, the movie is Nope, made by Universal Pictures.

Plot: Set in Aqua Dulce, California, a ranch owner named Otis (aka OJ) Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya) notices strange activity around his ranch that causes some of the horses to disappear from the Earth. Now, it is up to OJ, his sister Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer), a tech guy named Angel Torres (Brandon Perea), and some other people to discover the mystery behind the disappearance of their horses, and other farm animals before they get screwed over for good.

Unlike with Black Phone, I was very excited to see this film. Does Nope seem like a horror film? Well, apparently it’s classified as such. However, Nope feels much like one of those films that is said to be a “horror” film, but feels more like a suspense thriller, or something along those lines. Anyway, Nope is also very thought-provoking, and intriguing at times. OJ, and his sister, Emerald, are also very likable. Additionally, especially when tense moments come around, Nope can feel really suspenseful throughout the film. The score, which is composed by Michael Abel, definitely helps those moments be even more epic. Finally, it was definitely nice to have the captors be much more mysterious this time around.

Still, Nope was a decent film. First of all there were some characters that could have easily come off as potential creepers. Also, while the brother and sister duo are likable, and possibly the most memorable in this film, the same cannot be said entirely about the rest of the cast. I mean even when something terrible is about to happen to any of them, you don’t seem to feel, or care all that much when it does happen. Yeah, that might sound a little cruel, and harsh, but still. Additionally, the climax could have probably been handled a little better than it was in the end. There were also some things that felt like they were left unexplained. Oh well.

And that’s my review for Nope. Honestly, even though it’s classified as a horror film, it’s nice to see that this film seemed to feel more like a suspense thriller than horror one. Honestly, I wonder if, due to the fact that it was made by Universal Pictures, the company might have a policy about making films like this more of a suspense thriller, and less like an actual one. I mean seeing as the Mummy films were considered horror, but felt more like action adventure than anything else, that may be saying something for the company overall, and for films like the Mummy movies, Nope, and films like those. I would say that if you want to see Nope, definitely consider it. Honestly, seeing as I found myself having more enjoyment than with a film like Black Phone recently, I’m sure that most, if not all of you, might say the same. But we shall see. Again, see Nope, and see what you think!