Filmmaker Jordan Peele continues to majestically move the needle when it comes to modern-day horror movies – and makes it 3 for 3 with his latest slice of genius.
He once again does what a lot of current directors cannot do if their lives depended on it – get tongues wagging as cinema-goers exit the cinema.
Because whether you love it or hate it (fortunately for me it was the former); managed to put the pieces of the puzzle together or were completely bemused – this yet again is thought-provoking cinema.
Just like with Get Out and Us.
And this nestles arguably between those two well-received efforts.
Peele’s third directorial film is part Signs, part War of the Worlds, part Close Encounters of the Third Kind – although better than all three – with him having drawn on Jurassic Park and King Kong as major influences.
With a monkey going ‘ape’ as the side-story to the main plot it’s not hard to see why.
After random objects start falling from the sky over a sleepy Californian gulch – resulting in the death of their father (Keith David) – ranch-owning siblings OJ (Get Out breakout lead Daniel Kaluuya) and Em (Hustlers star Keke Palmer) attempt to capture video evidence of what they expect to be an alien ‘being’ that attacks from cloud-cover. With the help of tech-wizard Angel (Brandon Perea) and documentarian Antlers (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves star Michael Wincott) at various points in the process.
In the meantime, with the family Hollywood horse training business struggling, local businessman and western-themed park owner Ricky ‘Jupe’ Park – who was a child actor who survived the aforementioned monkey attack on a sitcom set – has also cottoned on to this potential UFO phenomenon. He continues to purchase stallions from the duo as the potential ‘key’ to luring this extra-terrestrial object out of hiding. With the obvious goal of using it for financial gain as a money-spinning attraction.
What ensues is a raft of fantastic performances from the entire cast – particularly an understated Kaluuya, zany Palmer and gruff-voiced Wincott – as Peele crafts an engaging tale with his usual breathtaking cinematic passion, and trademark accompanying movie soundtrack.
Just like with his last film Us – more so than Get Out – it won’t be to everyone’s taste if you struggle to connect the dots, and the eclectic screenplay will be divisive to some if you can’t fully commit.
But for any fan that loves the art of cinema, you simply cannot say ‘nope’ to the phenomenon that is Jordan Peele – as this guy is a game-changer from another movie-making stratosphere.
ESP Rating: 4/5
Gavin Miller
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott, Eddie Jemison, Donna Mills, Keith David & Terry Notary
Running Time: 2 Hrs 10 Mins
Director: Jordan Peele
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