Not!Jordan Peele is not a pure horror movie. Although it seems so, most of the time he only uses genre codes to thicken the suspense. And this is not a social criticism or a misleading argument. In fact, the director’s third film is a terrifying vision of greed, fear and the perception of the unusual from its darkest, most terrifying and harrowing places.

Such a premise is complex, and Peel spends a considerable amount of time developing it. Initially, he moves towards the idea of ​​showing life on the edge of everyday life. Southern California is a glimpse of remoteness, with its towering mountains and endless skies. The director immediately establishes that the mystery is in the distance, as it fades on the horizon and in a deceptively peaceful landscape.

But more than that, he delves into the tension of the unknown that is in plain sight. Just like Ari Astaire in mid summerfor Peel Not! anxiety is not completely hidden. Or rather, it is on the periphery, hidden and threatening in the midst of a state of obscurity.

Peel, a veteran of the twisted idea that all that’s left of evil is just a discovery, uses the same formula in Not!. yes in Get out the threat was a vicious and ominously mocking danger, and in Us cruel fantasy, Not! It’s unavoidable. Something is about to happen. A fascinating event, cruel and surprisingly devoid of meaning. Or at least not the obvious one, or one that can be immediately pointed to.

Not!, like history, is the sum of many spaces. At the same time, his slow and restrained transition to the tragic and cruel. But while this is happening, and this takes time, Peel made it clear that terror is also inherent in man. What is about to break free in all its destructive power is part of something more disturbing than just a phenomenon. And this is the main feature of the film.

Little horrors and suspense at the edge of the blue sky

Otis “OJ” Haywood Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya) and his father (Keith David) are workers. Tough, demanding, demanding, dedication, and the kind of dedication that the film exalts and then directs all that persistence to new places. When his father dies, Otis takes over the business in a very different way from his father. And it’s not just about the idea of ​​modernization and the leap to new points of the family business.

The film develops the notion of work as something worthy behind the scenes and is essentially a ploy by the director to ask questions about the nature of ambition. Of course, Peel also states that Haywood Hollywood Horses, which is a professional horse trainer, is an African American male, owned. Again, social commentary is here, and the notion of its importance is clear.

Peel built-in Get out inconvenient mechanism against racism and in Us a disturbing look at cultural violence. AT Not! he is much more restrained. The black cowboy, a North American concept that may go unnoticed in other latitudes, analyzes the concept of ownership and belonging. At the same time, the reason why what will happen in the film will happen, and how important this nebulous backstory of the individual is. And he does it through symbols.

Not!a fear that is more than a useless mechanism

When inexplicable and potentially dangerous events begin to occur at Haywood Ranch, the film completely changes tone and form. But not in the style of mixing genres, as it happens, but in a brilliant way of narrating about the reaction to the inexplicable. What happens when a total event disrupts daily life? How can the heroes deal with a monstrous condition that is shattering everything they have ever known?

Not! it is genius to the extent that it does not allow platitudes, that it absolutely refuses to pass through thin or light spaces. What happens can be a tragedy, a devastating horror, or just a “bad miracle.” But Peele doesn’t want viewers to jump to conclusions. Much less do it through the perception that the inexplicable can be perverted. This is because although the context is surreal and frightening, characters remain in the spotlight. How they react, blend and oppose each other to build a view of something that goes beyond them, but that can be understood from a human perspective.

Of course, Not! it’s a Peel movie, and it’s arguably the most American and least versatile he’s made so far. Thus, the need to capitalize on the violent phenomenon is part of a more complete reflection. Capitalism works in every way, including the horrors that lie ahead. As if that wasn’t enough, the fear is here. Close, pilgrim, exuberant and transcribed for an avid public. The greatest triumph of this unclassifiable and magnificent film destined to become a cult work.


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Source: Hiper Textual
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