Early reactions to Jordan Peele’s “Nope” are pouring in as the film continues its Los Angeles premiere, earning praise for the director’s turn toward sci-fi and drawing comparisons to filmmakers like Steven Spielberg.
Expectations are high for “No,” given Peele’s emergence as one of the most beloved directors over the past five years. His debut film, “Get Out,” earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Director for Peele and Actor for Kaluuya. Peele won the Oscar for Original Screenplay. The film’s $255 million worldwide gross was matched by Peele’s follow-up, “We,” which received critical acclaim and sent fans into spirals of theories and explanations.
“Nope” reunites Peele with his “Get Out” star Daniel Kaluuya in the story of two siblings (Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) who discover an alien spacecraft hovering above their family’s horse ranch. The duo set out to film the spacecraft, but the mission doesn’t go as planned.
Steven Yeun, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott, Wrenn Schmidt and Keith David round out the cast of “Nope.” The film marks the first collaboration between Peele and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, best known for filming Christopher Nolan’s tentpoles “Interstellar”, “Dunkirk” and “Tenet”.
CNN entertainment reporter Frank Pallotta called the film “out of this world”, peppering his praise with references to Alfred Hitchcock, John Carpenter and Adam McKay.
NOPE is out of this world. A monster mash with great performances (especially Kaluuya) and a 50s sci-fi invasion motif. A show about the horrors of shows.
Jordan Peele has been compared to Hitchcock, but NOPE shows he’s a next-gen carpenter. Enjoy the show and don’t look up. pic.twitter.com/dGKwbXg0WF
– Franck Pallotta (@frankpallotta) July 19, 2022
People editor Nigel Smith called “No” a “resounding YES”, calling the film “a thrilling and eerie sight”.
#NopeMovie is a resounding YES. See it on the biggest screen you can find. An exciting and strange sight unlike anything else. I will never look at the sky the same way again.
— Nigel Smith (@nigelmfs) July 19, 2022
Daily Dead News editor Heather Wixson called the film “absolutely phenomenal”, praising the genre mix with “Hollywood calculus”.
So #NopeMovie is absolutely phenomenal in so many ways. Perfectly blends a sci-fi spectacle with a story that also feels like a Hollywood reckoning and blew my expectations away. Beautifully shot, the sound mix is thunderous and the cast shines. Love love adored him. pic.twitter.com/qdcZIvsX5T
— Heather Wixson (@MMEFXBook is out now!) (@thehorrorchick) July 19, 2022
Huffington Post senior cultural reporter Candice Frederick is still working on the film. It seems to have given him a lot to chew on.
I don’t know how you can react so quickly to #NopeMovie. I’m still in my head about this.
— Candice Frederick (@ReelTalker) July 19, 2022
A member of the Hollywood Critics Association has praised the ambition of “No”, with the caveat that he believes the film marks Peele’s weakest effort so far.
Nope is Jordan Peele’s most ambitious film but also his weakest. The first act is superb but from the second, it loses its footing and becomes a bad M. Night Shyamalan film with Spielbergian elements. It lacks a sense of focus with a story that is never fully realized. #NopeMovie
—Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) July 19, 2022
See more reactions below:
The most important thing you need to know about NOPE is that it’s completely different from Get Out & Us. It’s Jordan Peele spreading his wings and doing big-budget Spielberg/esque sci-fi, but with the subtext you expect. Enter with an open mind and you will be rewarded. #NopeMovie
— Kevin Polowy (@djkevlar) July 19, 2022
#NopeMovie is an absolute blast!! @JordanPeele crafted a loving tribute to fans of a certain Spielberg masterpiece – I’ll let you find out. The cast is excellent and the sound and sets are impeccable! Full review @joblocom very soon! It’s a crazy race!
— Jïmm¥†ðtheO (@JimmytotheO) July 19, 2022
Jordan Peele #Nope is one of the best movies I’ve seen this year! It’s scary and fierce, but also very funny and unlike any UFO movie you’ve ever seen. It’s a very unique and VERY entertaining horror epic full of crazy surprises and an unforgettable performance from Keke Palmer pic.twitter.com/iua9HPt0RG
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 19, 2022
Jordan Peele’s Nope is his most confident, free and potentially controversial take to date. Swapping the exclamation marks of horror for the question marks of science fiction is less fear. With hints of close encounters, jaws and more, #NopeMovie is a real box of puzzles. pic.twitter.com/Ny3EVaLTqW
—Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) July 19, 2022
#NopeMovie is otherworldly but indescribable. From moments of sheer terror to heartfelt moments between characters, #Nope is an experience that won’t be easy to shake off as you find yourself picking your jaw up off the ground. Jordan Peele has done it again! @nopemovie pic.twitter.com/bUr1ad5TAx
— Shannon McGrew 🎃🍭 @ Screaming into the void (@shannon_mcgrew) July 19, 2022
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