Jordan Peele made an incredible alien film in 2022 with Nope, however what if it wasn’t an alien film in any respect? What if it was truly about an angel?
Peele himself acknowledged on Josh Horowitz’s Comfortable Unhappy Confused podcast that he modeled the ultimate type of Jean Jacket on the angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, he additionally talked about how he did not envision it to be a “literal” angel. Nonetheless, as someone who likes to surprise, yeah, however what if…I’ll do the identical for Nope.
As in, yeah, however what if Jean Jacket was a literal angel and never an alien? We have already lined what the ending of Nope would possibly imply, and why Nope is a particular type of horror film, however now, I wish to speculate on how Nope could be totally different if it have been about an angel, and never an alien.
First Of All, A Seraphim Is Actually Terrifying
Now, after I say an angel, I do not imply the sort that performs the harp and appears all-human-like. No. I truly imply Seraphims, that are present in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They’re typically described as being a number of the highest angels, and always singing God’s praises.
That is cool, however wait till I describe them to you. They sometimes have six wings and is likely to be totally lined with eyes. Simply attempt to image that, and the way otherworldly that may look in the event you encountered one in actual life. Fairly terrifying, proper?
Now, consider the ultimate type of Jean Jacket, which seems to have a number of wings, a kind of heavenly eye, and a bulbous head, nearly like a jellyfish. Sound vaguely acquainted? And, I am not the primary individual to make this connection, as there’s a complete Reddit thread about how Jean Jacket resembles “a biblically correct angel.”
Once more, Peele is claimed to have modeled Jean Jacket from the angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion, which themselves share a resemblance with Seraphims. However, simply suppose how the plot of Nope adjustments if that is an angel quite than an alien, which brings me to my subsequent level.
Not too way back, I wrote about how John Carpenter was the king of the ‘80s. In reality, once we ranked the perfect horror motion pictures of all time, we put The Factor at number one. That mentioned, it isn’t like Carpenter stopped making motion pictures after the ‘80s.
In reality, in 2005, Carpenter had an episode on the anthology collection Masters of Horror titled “Cigarette Burns,” which was a couple of movie that showcased the sacrifice of an angel. Now, anyone who watched this film-within-a-film was pushed insane. It’s a captivating mini-movie from Carpenter, and I carry it up as a result of it offers with the idea of filming an angel, and why that may be a no-no.
The self-esteem is that the human thoughts couldn’t comprehend seeing a celestial being, and that it could finally drive someone loopy. With that mentioned, I believe it could be extra fascinating if Nope was in regards to the filming of an angel quite than a UFO, as a result of what could be greater to humankind? Proof of extraterrestrial life, or proof of the afterlife?
This additionally places the story in a unique perspective if that’s what the Haywood siblings are attempting to movie. “Dangerous miracles” are introduced up often within the film, and an angel that feasts on individuals who look it within the eye (there go these eyes once more) would make for an excellent scarier story.
Not Solely That, However It Makes One Surprise If Folks Have Been Mistaking Divine Beings For Aliens All through Historical past Inside The Story
Within the film, Jean Jacket devours horses, folks, you identify it. Once more, in the event you look it within the eye, it eats you. However I wish to discuss “unhealthy miracles” once more. The movie begins with a nickel placing the Haywood patriarch useless after falling from the sky. We even have the weird incident the place Steven Yeun’s character, Ricky, survives a chimpanzee assault when he was a toddler.
The bizarre factor, although, was {that a} shoe stood on finish when Ricky survived. However how? Nicely, it appears to be one other “unhealthy miracle,” which fits past scientific reasoning and into supernatural territory.
Now, the massive twist in Nope is that what seems like a flying saucer is definitely Jean Jacket’s physique. However what if all aliens inside this world are literally simply angels? This goes again to my final level that the human thoughts couldn’t comprehend seeing an angel. So, maybe the explanation Jean Jacket seems like a UFO at first is as a result of that’s the one clarification the characters’ minds can course of.
“Dangerous miracles” simply look like weird coincidences, nevertheless it’s solely when folks LOOK THE ALIEN IN THE EYE that their minds can lastly make sense that what they’re seeing is just not an alien in any respect, however quite, one thing larger. Meals for thought.
Additionally, The Idea Of A Carnivorous Angel Makes The Story A lot Extra Apocalyptic
Jordan Peele has by no means made a foul film, and I really like all of them, particularly Get Out, which is one other film that hits tougher on repeat viewings. Nonetheless, I discover Nope to be Peele’s most fascinating work, because the spiritual subtext is throughout it. For instance, the movie begins with the Bible verse from Nahum 3:6, which is “I’ll solid abominable filth upon you, make you vile, and make you a spectacle.”
Now, the entire “spectacle” factor is smart, since everyone desires to make a spectacle of Jean Jacket. However, who or what’s the Bible verse even referring to? Is it simply in reference to the narrative itself? Nicely, perhaps, however I like to consider it as being directed towards the Seraphim, Jean Jacket.
Keep in mind, a Seraphim is meant to be as near God as potential. However, right here one is (per my concept), on Earth, being filmed by mortals. It’s nearly like Jean Jacket is being punished, and is taking out its anger on the people who find themselves recording its disgrace of being so distant from God (Even hiding behind a cloud – a cloud symbolizing the place Heaven historically is in tales).
This truthfully makes the story really feel much more apocalyptic, which makes it rather a lot scarier in the event you view the “alien” as an indignant angel, wreaking havoc on humankind.
In The Finish, It’s Cool Coming Up With Totally different Interpretations For The Movie
One million years in the past, I overanalyzed the film Inception by pondering what it could be like if it have been analyzed by dream consultants, and I’ve simply performed the identical for Nope.
I imply, Peele himself mentioned that Jean Jacket is just not a “literal” angel, however so what? The cool factor about tales is which you can interpret them nonetheless you need, even when the creator himself didn’t intend it that approach. Nope is already a wonderful film, however envisioning Jean Jacket as an angel is simply extra intriguing for me.
Plus, it simply provides me one more reason to rewatch it. Now, after I view it, I do not see it as Jordan Peele’s alien film. I see it as a narrative of Jordan Peele attempting to make sense of the supernatural, even when it is by power.