Whenever a new Jordan Peele movie arrives, it's an exciting time. Sure, thus far, his movies have been nothing short of great, but there's this unique feeling of sitting down in the theater and not knowing what to expect. Regardless of how many trailers you've seen, they're only going to tell a small fraction of whatever tale Peele is weaving. We weren't prepared for Get Out, we were ill-equipped for Us. Now, with Nope, Peele is taking you on another unforgettable ride, though this one isn't the horror movie you might be expecting. Instead, the director is diving into sci-fi.

If the trailers are to be believed, Nope centers on two siblings, OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald Haywood (Keke Palmer), attempting to document an unidentified flying object that seems to be continuously lurking above their house. And while you will find that story playing out throughout Nope's runtime, it's also a movie about the dark side of the entertainment industry, those who have sacrificed everything for it, and how the industry can chew them up, spit them out, and move on--a practice that isn't exclusive to Hollywood, by any means.


As the last in a long line of horse trainers that supply their animals to Hollywood productions, OJ and Emerald are watching the industry evolve around them as it's become more efficient to use visual effects instead of live animals. While Emerald is attempting to branch out and create a brand for herself, OJ is concerned only with the family business left to him by their late father.

These siblings, played beautifully by their actors, couldn't be any more different. Emerald is loud, brash, and very charismatic. OJ (Otis Jr.), on the other hand, is quiet, reserved, and seems much more comfortable hanging out with his horses than anyone else. It's two sides of entertainment industry professionals, those who stick to their trade and see it as their destiny, and those aching for more, however they can get their hands on it.


Then there's former child actor Ricky Park (Steven Yeun), who owns a Wild West theme park near the Haywoods' farm outside of LA, cashing in on what's left of his '90s sitcom fame. He's also at the center of the most disturbing tale told in the film, with a series of scenes that were outright horrifying to watch.


Park may be loosely connected to Hollywood at best as an adult, but that mysterious lurking object is exactly what he's hoping will make him famous once more. On the other hand, the Haywoods are hoping that capturing it on film will bring the riches that elude them as their horse farm slowly declines into obscurity.


As we contend with the ongoing pandemic that led to a high unemployment rate and now rising inflation that sees the prices of everything skyrocketing, it's easy to identify with people who are simply looking for a solution to their problems.


Along the way, we meet others who get roped into the Haywoods' plan. One of them is famed Hollywood cinematographer Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott), who is obsessed with capturing the "perfect shot." To him, this could be his ultimate legacy, though the money isn't bad, either. Then there's Angel Torres (Brandon Perea), a salesman at an electronics store who also serves as the tech support that travels to the farm to help set up camera equipment.