“Nope” was released July 22, 2022 and depicts two siblings who run a horse ranch in California. The two make a menacing (yet interesting) discovery in the sky and decide to capitalize. They later find out that the owner of the next-door theme park made the same discovery and had been profiting from it.

Jordan Peele, writer and director of the film, has recently gained much attraction for his latest horror moves “Get Out” and “Us.” The director often places thought-provoking topics in his works, which allow the viewers to think deeper about the movie.

“Nope” provides themes of race, exploitation, animal abuse and ultimately the dangers of pursuing a spectacle.

Though the movie has received a lot of flack, I believe it is one of the most real and honest movies I’ve seen in a while. It is a very meticulous film, which gives hint after hint as to what its purposes are and if you don’t pay attention, you’ll miss it.

I think that the movie provides an insight into what our society looks like currently. People every day go out of their way and some even risk their lives to get the perfect shot for profit. Throughout the entire movie, the siblings take risks to get one clip or photo of their discovery to ultimately profit from it. Nowadays, everyone is looking for the latest scandal or confrontation to record and post on their social media for likes – regardless of the circumstances or who it will affect in the long run.

For example, in 2018, Logan Paul, an entertainer, was “canceled” for recording someone who’d died in a Japanese “suicide forest.” He later made an apology for it, but in that moment he saw the attention the video would get and posted it with no regard to the person’s family or the effect it would have on people.

The movie also briefly touches on the Black presence in Hollywood films. It is not often that you see a “saucer film” with a predominately Black cast. Black people have been fighting for years to be represented in movies of all genres. With this movie, Peele provided something that wasn’t another “hood film” or comedy. He gave the Black community a different film to relate to and see themselves represented in.

Peele also explores the abuse and exploitation of animals. Animals are often used in the film industry and not given the proper treatment. Many production companies have faced allegations of animal cruelty throughout the making of their movies. “Nope” gives the perfect example of what having an animal on set can be like and ultimately cause.

I could go on about the major themes “Nope” touches on, but in general: I think the movie was entertaining. The plot kept me on my toes waiting to see what was going to happen next. The main actors in the movie (Keke Palmar and Daniel Kaluuya) played their roles well, keeping the movie interesting and upbeat when needed. The ending was also interesting, as it can be interpreted in many different ways.

Overall, for its stimulating concepts and entertainment, I’d give the movie a 10/10. I encourage anyone who watched the movie and disliked it to watch it again and pay attention to its purpose.

Edited by Justin Shepard