Movie Review: Nope

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to my movie review.

You know, for couple years, i've never done a review a movie made by Jordan Peele, well ok, i did mentioned him in Toy Story 4 where he played Bunny, one of comedic duo with Ducky. But im talking about him being a filmmaker, and surprisingly what i checked in, i saw some of his movies are pretty good from Get Out to his rebooted sequel of the first Candyman (ignoring 2 installments), so this will be my first taste of one his film that came out this year.

"Nope" is 2022 western, sci-fi horror film that written, produced and directed by Jordan Peele and co-produced by Ian Cooper.

When i first heard the title of the movie, i was highly suspicious about the title, thinking that this is gonna be like a horror comedy film, thinking it will be either interesting or a stupidest film ever by a familiar filmmaker and actor, but when the trailer shows it, it surprises me that it looks not bad, but though its some sort of supernatural horror, but its more like dealing with UFO. According to Jordan Peele, he came up the idea about the concern from the future how we go outside based on our struggle from the virus that we still fighting to either stay home or vaccinated, but instead of dealing from the virus, but rather dealing something from the sky, which he took an inspiration of various classic films like King Kong, Jurassic Park and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as well as anime like "Neon Genesis Evengalion", mainly the aliens from the sky called "Angels".

So, with all the said, will this film be safe to go outside, or is this film not suitable from something from the sky?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

For a movie about dealing with unidentified object, it sounds like a unique story on its concept, but if the writing could’ve worked.

The movie begins via stage show with a chimpanzee nearly covered in blood from the incident, but then we cut to the ranch of the Haywood family, where they training horses for movies and shows, but all good things going down (literally) where the father Otis Haywood Sr. got killed by a drop of coins, leaving his kids Otis Jr. (or OJ for short) and his sister Emerald (or Em for short) take over their business. While they’re working for training horses and selling to the theme park operator of “Jupiter’s Claim” named Ricky "Jupe" Park, they witnessed something from the sky that makes electricity fluctuating, some horses distraction and some disturbing screaming of agony, believing its a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object), its up Haywood sibling to dealing with the UFO once and for all.

I find the story itself is typical, just a main characters dealing with the UFO that trying to kill somebody, but it has a unique twist and the idea is pretty cool for what they’re going for, especially for the action. But im not gonna tell about the movie’s twist to preventing spoiler.

However, despite the effort for the story, but the downside is the writing, like i said, i may like the movie’s plot, the twist what they give us, but sometimes, the writing’s execution could’ve gone better that it’s either trying or didn’t make any sense, which is the main weakness for the movie’s writing. For example, there’s a moment where Jupe shared his backstory how he had a incident show of chimpanzee brutally attack and killing some actors, pretty scary and brutal, but does this one have to do with the plot? The answer is... Nothing. Meanwhile, the jokes are... Mixed, sometimes i a chuckle, but others... Doesn’t work well.

While the writing isn’t the best, but we can give a credit for the idea of its story.

The Presentation

For a movie with the budget of $68M, it looks pretty good for say the least.

For starter, the filming location is beautiful one desert Agua Dulce in Los Angeles County, California, which is the only place that it takes place in filming, minus the studio scene at Burbank, California for using Fry’s Electronics, which sadly, the store was shut down last year from the effect of the spreading virus from 2020 (Yeah, its one of those business that got victimized from the virus), meaning not only they used the name, but also rebuild the store in studio from scratch in Burbank. Interesting note, they use a specialized 65mm IMAX camera with Kodak film, making it the first film with the use of this format.

As foe the designs, the set in the Haywood’s home look pretty good to film in a cabin (probably made from scratch) with decoration and stable with unique settings. Aside for the aforementioned Fry’s Electronics from scratch, there’s also the Jupiter Claim that its a pretty nice and nearly colorful looking theme park. Another unique design its the costumes, the costume designs are made to be based on certain characters personality, mainly for the “Method Approach” for certain inspirations from the 90’s style, as well as The Goonies from 1985. And as for UFO (btw, it was named “Jean Jacket”), im not gonna spoil about it from the twist, but i gotta say, i though its a generic flying saucer, but it’s gotten interesting throughout the movie, in fact, they took some elements of Jean Jacket for its design like sea creatures such as jellyfish, octopus and squid, and even Angels from “Neon Genesis Evangelion”, damn, probably another reference form Evangelion in my review. The Jean Jacket is done with a combination of practical effect to CGI, which is pretty good for what they’ve done, they also using a chimpanzee that rather than using a real chimpanzee, it was obviously done with CG, its pretty easy to nice that he looks rather face to some movement or even the detail, not a best nor realistic appearance of chimpanzee.

As for the climax, its quite of suspenseful and probably disturbing based on the incoming of the UFO from fluctuating electricity, a scream of agony and the UFO’s speed. Of course, there are a couple of jumpscare to some part that i could either predicted or out of nowhere, but sometimes, there could be some fake jumpscare or one time, a stupid kids pulling a prank to our main hero (Yup, its one of those horror cliché). Plus, this movie is also having a blood bath, ranging from OJ’s father’s death from coins to a pouring a blood from the air, quite of bloody UFO movie ever, eh?

While there’s some have an easy clichés as well with questionable CG, but the movie’s presentation are pretty good looking of its setting, designs and the effects.

The Characters

When it comes to the movie’s characters, there’s not a lot of characters (for the most part), but has a nice casting in modern movie.

First is our main hero Otis Haywood Jr, aka OJ (played by Daniel Kaluuya), a main kid after his father died to taking his father’s footstep. I find him fine protagonist, he’s a near silent main hero for his sad experience since he lost his father from coin drop of death, while he has emotion for his struggling from the past, but like i said, the writing could’ve gone better for his personality and development, but to his credit, Kaluuya did a great work of his role, and this is the second time he's been in Jordan Peele’s movie, the first time he;s been with is “Get Out”, which it made a breakthrough both Peele and Kaluuya. Huh, maybe il review Get Out in the future.

Next we have Emerald “Em” Haywood (played by Keke Palmer), she’s OJ’s tomboy sister who likes to bringing fascination from the past history with horses in media back then and occasionally being a party girl. She’s basically trying to be a humor character in the movie, which she’s fine too, but like i said, the writing could’ve gone better for her humor dialogue in the movie. While Palmer did a fun work of her role, but again, the writing’s execution is pretty weak.

After that, we have Ricky Park, aka Jupe (played by Steven Yeun), a former child actor turned into a theme park owner for probably quitting his acting career from the incident. I find him somewhat unique, despite he’s being somewhat playful for his theme park, but he’s actually have a nice development how he had to changing his career from a chimpanzee incident. However, he could another one of those clueless owner that he may or may not realizing there’s a UFO on the loose and SPOILER ALERT, he’s unfortunately got victimized. Sucks for him, but hey, at least Yeun did a good work of his role.

Then we have Angel Torres (played by Brandon Perea), a Fry’s Electronics salesman who helps our main heroes with gadgets like cameras and others for sighting a UFO, as well as giving OJ a plot development about the UFO. I find him also fascinating, but in ok way, he’s basically helping our heroes to figuring out about the UFO to catch in view and probably saving the world. Despite some writing flaws, at least he gave us a plot development to dealing with (for the most part) and Perea did a good job of his role.

And we have Antlers Holst (played by Michael Wincott) a renowned cinematographer who’s aware of unknown sights what he had heard, including the UFOs. He may sounds like he refuses at first,but eventually accepting to dealing with. While its nice to have a cinematographer about the UFO, but i find him ok, since he’s just there to help our heroes dealing with UFO too, he’s obvious passable, but Wincott did a good work of his role.

As for the rest of the characters, there aren’t as special, they just showing up, there’s Amber Park (played by Wrenn Schmidt) who’s Jupe’s wife, Nessie (played by Barbie Farreira) who’s Torres’s co-worker in electronic store, and Ryder Muybridge (played by Devon Grave) who’s a paparazzo A-Hole in the climax.

While the writing is the problem that i mentioned before, at least some characters and the casting are pretty good.

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, Nope is a pretty good film, but not as perfect, the story, the setting and the idea is a good concept, the presentation looks incredible (for the most part) and the characters, despite some minor development, but at least they have a nice casting and some good development.

What makes this not perfect enough, its the problematic of the writing that either flat out give us some filler, something that may or may not make any sense, some obvious clichés and the chimpanzee’s use of CG is noticeably cheap.

It may or may not be Jordan Peele’s greatest work, but at least il give him a credit to make something different about this. This is the film that im sure some of you you’ll love this movie. As for me, while i liked it, but could’ve gone better, you can recommended this movie if you like, but me, i considered a recommended movie, but not too perfect as “Get Out”.

For my rating, im gonna give this one a 7/10.

So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.

Movie Review: Halloween Kills

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back my Movie Review in Halloween special.

Yes, my friends, its Halloween again that im doing another horror and spooky movie again. So since some of you are thinking i should do the review on classic horror, slashers or others? Well, i feel like im having an unfinished business with the sequel that i've been for 4 years (one year since it was released).

"Halloween Kills" is a 2021 horror slasher film that was written/directed by David Gordon Green, produced by Malek Akkad, Jason Blum and Bill Block, then co-written by Scott Teems and Danny McBride.

The idea all begin after the wrap up of Halloween 2018, where Danny McBride and David Gordon Green were thinking to do a back-to-back sequel trilogy from the first Halloween (1978) if Halloween 2018 was a hit, and it does with people gave a welcome return (for the most part) and it was a huge hit at the box-office, and its not hard to see for the latter that with the success, they're gotta make a sequels after the cliffhanging ending.

When this movie came out last year, while its nice for a follow up, but critics and audience felt otherwise for the lack of creativity for the writing, though i was planned to review this movie last year, but can't because of the pandemic from the virus, meaning i had to push the film to this year, along with the recent release of Halloween Ends (that also be my plan for next year). For this review, i bought the extended cut digitally for my review, i bought around a months ago, which is i think around at the beginning of 2022.

So, with all that said, Will Halloween Kills deserves to have more fascination of chase and body kills, or is this film fall in the same category of either revealing thorns or with Busta Rhymes?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

Since this is a follow up from 2018 Halloween, we expect to having a new plot of revenge against The Shape? Well, we got something new, if the writing would've make something sense without going all over the place.

The movie begins where Cameron witnesses Officer Frank Hawkins laying in bleeding from being stabbed by Michael Myers and suddenly we cut in a flashback in 1978 (the first year of Michael Myers's Halloween massacre in Haddonfield, Illinois) where we went from Lonnie being scared from witnessing Michael Myers to Frank Hawkins accidentally shot his partner from Myers's hostage before gets caught by the police (which is exaclty how this trilogy takes place after the first Halloween, ignoring any installments, as always), despite Hawkins is like in silence for what he did. Anyway, we get picked up after the ending of 2018 Halloween, where it appears Lauri Strode, her daughter Allyson and granddaughter Karen lived happily from a pickup truck, not before they notice the firetrucks drove by to put out the fire (Big mistake, guys...!), causing Michael Myers breaking out of bunker to killing firefighters. Despite this, Laurie is taken to the hospital for surgery from eternal bleeding from being cut open by her stalking nemesis, in order to be watched by both Allyson and Karen. When the news break in, the remaining survivors that we're familar with. Tommy Doyle, Lonnie, Marion Chambers, Lindsey Wallace are alerted that Michael Myers has returned after 40 years, so its up to the Nelson family members (Karen and Allyson) to not only watch Laurie in hospital to be safe (aside of Frank Hawkins got into the stretcher to the same hospital), but Tommy forming his mob group in sake of killing The Shape.

For the story of this movie, it kinda got all over with various plot elements from reminding us from the past or left off from 2018, a taken place in hospital to people in Haddonfield taking their threat against The Shape when they had enough after 40 years, which i really appreciated what they going for the latter. Where as the previous installment is all about protecting the Strode/Nelson family member to be safe if Myers has returned, here, its about the community in Haddonfield had been changed to make a threat with bounty to hunting down Myers, while questionably chanting "Evil Dies Tonight!", i understand what they going for, but the execution just failed with didn't know how to finding Michael Myers to going after the fake "Michael Myers", which really bugging easily with questionable characters decision from either writing problem or clearly making some characters look like idiots, we'll get to the characters later. But one element that really messing up is when two men, Big John and Little John bought the Myers house as their home, i mean, come on guys, you can't take over Myers house as your own, otherwise, Michael Myers will be pissed and murdering for his old home that he likes to live there, which is quite possibly the stupidest decision ever that this house got a "Death Curse" (Sorry for the Friday The 13th puns, but gotta mention it). Although they also tried to add some humor in the movie, but as far as i watched, i had a very temporary chuckle to hear some humor, i did laugh at some moment, but when they tried to make a humor line, it didn't worked out, for the most part.

While i like the idea of the people in Haddonfield trying to bounty hunting The Shape, but the writing's execution failed miserably with boring setting in hospital, dumb characters (don't worry, we'll get there), idiotic situations and the story is messy to following up or ruining elements.

The Presentation

I think its safe to say that the presentation is more likely gear towards beautiful shot and good'ol gore for the budget than the story.

For starter, this film and the final installment "Halloween Ends" are both filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, which is is odd that most sequels are filmed in different location, despite taking place in a main place, but here, they filmed in the same place, which im assuming is to saving their costs. Of course, there were others that are not in Wilmington, remember that famous Myers's House? Due to the real Myers house being taken, they had to building a replica in the studio, as well as replicating the environment with neighbors houses, bush and tree, which is a challenging to do the replica, but i think they did a nice work to creating a replica, since again, the OG Myers' house was moved from other location and taken that its longer accepted of permission. Sucks for that, but hey, at least they did a good job for building a replica. But one location that really ruining from boredom is the hospital, i mean, i get that its similar to Halloween 2's hospital taken place, but in this movie's hospital is nowhere climactic as the Halloween 2, we didn't get to see an action, instead just a angry mobs for the sake of hunting down The Shape, depsite the mobs accusing one patient from Smith's Grove Psychiatric Hospital as a real deal, which a very idiotic move, but i digress. Of course, there's sometimes they had to hurry up, like the scene where Michael Myers killing Firefighters while the house set is on fire that they had to hurrying up before the burning house got collapsed.

The filming quality is pretty impressive view, for not-so low budget of $20 million, after all, this movie takes place in the night, which it obviously made a beautiful shot, aside with blur effect that really annoyed me that i like to watch in crystal clear, i know, blur is always common, but when they put blur a lot, you can easily, you guessed it, un-seeing the movie.

And the designs, thought its pretty limited, but the sets and design are pretty nice, despite the film takes place in 2018, as a continuity of Halloween 2018. Speaking of Which, Michael Myers looks not bad, especially for giving us a reminder that he was nearly burnt to death from the previous film to showcase his mask being half damaged.

As for the actions and killings, this one is gearing towards the gore, its the most brutal and bloodiest Halloween film i ever watch and its a good S*** to see, showcasing how The Shape is a murderous man with devils eyes with blood and gore, like using a pick-axe-like in a brutal and gory beating, stabbing in the eye or the one goes out of nowhere (and made me chuckle) where Michael Myers slams the door to letting a victim turns the gun in opposite to suicide headshot in failure attempt to make a headshot at Michael. As for the amount of dead bodies (SPOILER ALERT) if you watching Dead Meat's Kill Count like i always love to watch, it has 31 kills in the movie, easily the highest dead bodies Michael Myers ever done to killing somebody, talk about being a professional ass killer throughout the series of Halloween.

While some presentation of this movie is flawed, but at least it has a beautiful done work and of course, good'ol blood and gore that we like to see.

The Characters

Surprisingly, we have the return of some familiar characters in the first Halloween, you think that these characters will able to give them a chance to shine in order to beat The Shape? Sadly no, based on a idiotic writing.

Lets start off with Laurie Strode (reprised by of course, Jamie Lee Curtis), the main survivor from the first Halloween and now has PTSD that she wants to kill Michael Myers so badly after 40 years. Since she's the main protagonist, we expected that she'll be able to get up and fight back, right? Sadly no, after got wounded with bleeding out, she's pretty much being stuck in a hospital and barely do anything in the movie. Talk about a bid disappointment that she's pretty much doing nothing but hanging out with Frank, i mean we all know Curtis did a great work of her role (aside of wearing a wig for her haircut) but the way she appeared in the movie is just disappointing that she's more like recurring than a main protagonist.

After that, we have the main antagonist, The Shape himself, Michael Myers (reprised by both James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle), im sure we all know who he is, he's a stalking murderer since 1978 and being taken to psychiatric hospital before escape for more killing spree. I think he's pretty much nearly useful more than Laurie, and he's much as you expected, going around, killing people on his way while being targeted by the mobs in Haddonfield (despite being idiots) and also pretty much pissed that his home is owned by Johns to reclaiming his abandoned house. Despite my nagging of The Shape appears more than Laurie, but of course, JJC did a nice work of his role and nice minor acting of Nick Castle (The OG of The Shape).

Next up is Allyson Nelson (reprised by Andi Matichak) she's the mother of Nelson and the daughter of Laurie Strode. In this movie, it seems that she wants to protecting her mother safe from her vengeance in pain in the hospital and probably wanting to keep peace and quite in the hospital. In my previous review, i mentioned she's obviously meant to be the next Laurie Strode as a next gen to keeping herself safe from Michael Myers before Laurie coming in, and i also describing her as lame and cliché protagonist, but here, i think she's ok for the most part, but Andi is still did a nice work of her role.

Finally (after three main ladies), we have Karen Nelson (reprised by Judy Greer). I was mistakenly describing her as a mother than a daughter in my previous review, so my apology for my brain dead review. Anyway, she's the daughter of Nelson/Strode family that while she's also wanting to keep her grandmother safe, but she's already having a trauma from what happened that she becomes a member of angry mobs in Haddonfield. Though its nice to have her chance for her attempt to fight back, but it seems that she's probably pretty much a left over protagonist that i pretty much forgot about her. No disrespect for Judy for her nice work of her role, but her writing in this movie is poor.

Now we got the main girls and The Shape out of way, lets get to the remaining characters.

First is our old friend Tommy Doyle (played by Anthony Michael Hall, instead of bring back Brian Andrews), a man used to be babysat from Laurie and the survivor of Halloween massacre. In this movie, with Michael Myers escaped and killing spree, he forming his angry mob group in Haddonfield that its time to kill The Shape with changing "Evil Dies Tonight!", kinda over the top, but hey, at least its nice to have angry villagers trying to hunting down the murderer, similar to the angry villagers in 1931's Frankenstein. While its good to have that, but it is poorly executed for idiotic reason that sometimes he doesn't notice the difference between Michael Myers and the other patience from psychiatric hospital. While Tony Hall did a nice work for playing the older Tommy, i just wish the writing could've gone better, its as if Laurie could've take a break when Tommy should've been a main protagonist.

And last one is Frank Hawkins (played by Will Patton), a deputy who had a passed experience that he's trying to stop Michael ,but failed in his flashback and in previous film, he was stabbed by The Shape, which we though he'll be dead, but his death is retconned to let him live and taken to the hospital, i get they wanna to make a chemistry with Laurie Strode, but come on, being stabbed on the side of the neck is deader than gotten after being nearly burnt to death (Just ask Michael how he survived). While Will did a nice work of his role, but like Laurie, he's just there for waste of space.

As for the rest of the characters, while its nice to have some back, but most of them are pretty much being a chump when they trying to hunting down The Shape, there's Lonnie Elam (played by Robert Longstreet) a man who used to be a bully, getting his ass away from Myers' house from Sam Loomis (Heh, never get old from my mind from this scene in the first Halloween) and became a father of his son Cameron (reprised by Dylan Arnold), Leigh Brackett (surprisingly reprised by Charles Cyphers in his old age as 80s) the former police sheriff for seeks revenge over his dead daughter Annie, Lindsey Wallace (reprised by Kyle Richards in her age of 50s), another survivor who's also babysat from Laurie and also be with Tommy and Lonnie, Marion Chambers (reprised by Nancy Stephens) the former Loomis's assistant that she's with the mob group, Sheriff Barker (played by Omar Dorsey) who's Haddonfield's sheriff and Big John and Little John (played by Scott MacArthur and Michael McDonald) the two guys (though meant to be gay bros, but nothing to do with) bough Myers' house as their own that they could've bought the other house without putting in risk like idiots.

While its nice to have some old characters back, as well as some old and new actors, but they're nowhere safe for how they're written to be in this movie from being useless to idiots.

And now for my final opinion of this film

Overall, Halloween Kills is easily the most disappointing sequel of the remake trilogy, while it has a good idea for the plot, beautiful view and gory kills, but its nowhere good for the final result with questionable writing, poor directions, and the characters that while its nice to have them back, but oh man, these characters are completely wasted and even being morons to dealing with suspect like The Shape...!

This is the sequel that i do not recommend this, even the previous was success, it would've been better as a sequel and even some welcome return, but its the writing and the direction ruined everything for its potential, at least until il get to the third and final of the trilogy next year. Its fine if you watch this sequel ONLY once for what we got before we got Halloween Ends.

For my rating of this sequel, il give this one a disappointingly 4/10.

So this ends of my movie review (Good god...!), if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, Happy Halloween, and im Anthony, signing out.