Daniel Kaluuya looks skyward in a scene from “Nope.”

Jordan Peele is hurtling toward becoming one of the greatest horror filmmakers of all time. His films leave the audience to question “What just happened?” well after the credits roll, and his latest film “Nope” certainly packs a ponderous punch.

With his previous two writing/directing/producing projects “Get Out” (2017) and “Us” (2019) being pretty firmly in the mystery/horror genre, “Nope” throws a few others at the wall to see what sticks. With elements of sci-fi and even westerns thrown in with his trademark tones, the spectacle of “Nope” is dizzying. But that’s the point.

Without divulging too much and risk spoiling this excellent ride: The film is centered at the Haywood Hollywood Horses ranch in an arid and dusty area of Agua Dulce, California. There, generations of the Haywood family have provided equine services to Tinsel Town since its inception.

At present, though, life on the ranch isn’t as lucrative as it used to be. Money struggles are trotting the books further into the red. This worsens, especially after a collection of everyday items suddenly falls to earth, killing patriarch Otis (Keith David) when he’s struck by a falling coin.

His son, OJ (Daniel Kaluuya), then takes the literal and proverbial reins while having to rely on his more outgoing yet unreliable sister, Emerald (Keke Palmer), to help.

But with jobs drying up, OJ is forced to sell (temporarily he hopes) some of his horses to a nearby Old West theme park, Jupiter’s Claim. The park is run by former child star Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun) who was in the cast of a popular TV show before a horrific and tragic event forced its cancellation in the ‘90s.

When more odd things begin happening at the ranch — horses running off and disappearing, the power suddenly dropping including cell and radio signals — OJ suspects that the area is being visited by a UAP (Unidentified Areal Phenomenon, as UFOs are now more commonly called).

Buoyed by the potential cash flow of capturing this UAP on tape, OJ and Emerald set out to install security cams with the help of Fry’s Electronic’s associate Angel Torres (Brandon Perea). But capturing the “Oprah” shot will prove to be more difficult, dangerous and mysterious than anyone could imagine.

With so much going on throughout “Nope,” especially with the high-spectacle value Peele devotes to it, the connective tissues of its different stories suffer some. Not so much that it leaves gaping holes, but enough that it left me wanting a bit more depth to some situations and characterizations.

Specifically speaking, I would’ve liked to have seen more connection between OJ and Emerald. Kaluuya and Palmer are excellent in their respective roles, and both characters are written so well, OJ’s quiet, no-nonsense rancher contrasting with Emerald’s loud and bombastic, self-promotional essence. We also miss a lot of the connection of Ricky’s emotional and disturbing arc to the rest of the main story. The thematic thread is there, but again, we’re missing that deeper connection to fully drive us to the end.

Besides that, Peele once again gallops toward a clear yet not-obvious point about society’s obsession with spectacle today. His full vision, and more detailed explanation of what the film is about, lies in the climatic and exciting ending, which deserves to be seen, then mulled over without me spoiling it.

The greatest achievement comes with how “Nope” sticks with you. You’ll be left with questions, most of which you’ll be able to answer after you’ve sat with it. And with the eerie overtones about society mixed with the all-around sci-fi/horror, it’s hard to shake. But as I mulled over every moment, I liked “Nope” more and more, going from a steady “Yeah, OK” to a solid “Hell yes.”

On screens this week: BJ Novak brings his dark comedy/thriller “Vengeance” to the big screen, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart lend their voices to the animated comedy “DC League of Super-Pets.” In next week’s GO! (and online now) check out my review of the documentary “Fire of Love,” rolling out limited screenings throughout the summer and eventually landing on Disney+.

“Nope”

130 minutes

Rated R for language throughout and some violence/bloody images

3.5 stars