Nope

Cert - 15, Run-time - 2 hours 10 minutes,

Director - Jordan Peele

After sighting an alien spacecraft siblings Emerald (Keke Palmer) and OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) become fixated with trying to capture proof.

Over recent years the summer slate has become associated with spectacle. How can films make the most of the big screen, and to some extent not just films, also TV and simple internet content on the likes of YouTube and even Twitch. It’s this idea which writer-director Jordan Peele plays with in his latest feature, exploring our obsession with spectacle.

It seems fitting, therefore, that the third act of Nope is perhaps one of the best things I’ve seen in a long, long time. Rattling along its course keeping in place the stunning sound and visuals - there’s no denying the strength of the technical elements of this film - that have been present throughout and making for a tense, action-packed string of events.

The build-up to this follows siblings Emerald (an Oscar-worthy Keke Palmer) and OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) as they attempt to capture proof of an alien spacecraft hidden in the clouds above their horse ranch - where they raise and train horses for use in film and TV productions. However, as the pair kit out their home with cameras and traps, the attacks from the craft become angrier. Peele has already made a name for himself in horror thanks to his previous two features Get Out and Us, and here he extends that by managing to create increasingly tense sequences of squirm-inducing, seat-gripping horror. Playing with the contrast between day and night while allowing horror sequences at night to not feel cliché simply because of the dark setting.

One particular moment emphasises an almost breathless claustrophobic setting simply allowing the threat faced to grow. Yet, before any of this there’s a lingering air of mild tension whilst knowing little about the ship which hover in the sky above the film’s core setting. Like the characters, we know it’s there, the film doesn’t hide this; the lack of ambiguity perhaps adding more tension to the proceedings. But, the more we see, the grander things become and the more spectacle is on display. Mixing the horror with action and allowing for things to truly take off.

Yet, the film never forgets the reason for OJ and Emerald doing all of this. To potentially earn thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars (and the chance to maybe be interviewed by Oprah). It’s grounded by two fantastic lead performances, and a strong supporting cast including Steven Yeun as a former child star trying to make money at a western-themed amusement park with its own promise of spectacle, and excellent technical design in terms of both look and sound - pushed further by Peele’s direction, his best and most confident so far. Things are ramped up over the course of the fast-paced run-time and simply allow for a smash-hit third act which will surely be one of the best things in any film this year.

Jamie Skinner - Four stars