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January 28, 2025Reclusive musicians have an interestingly contradictory legacy. They live in solitude and without much human interaction, yet their music reaches a vast audience who may feel that they’re close to the voice and words they hear. Meeting the myth isn’t always worth it, and that’s absolutely the case for one driven young journalist in Opus, whose unexpected invitation to a once-in-a-lifetime weekend experience with a famously private legend comes with a few frightening caveats that she isn’t willing to accept.
Ariel (Ayo Edebiri) isn’t happy with how her career is going, covering monotonous content and doing work that’s less than important. When she receives an exclusive invite to the unanticipated return of Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) along with her obnoxious, condescending editor Stan (Murray Barlett), she sees the chance to write her own story. Unfortunately, her initial curiosity soon turns to dread when she notices deeply concerning elements about the cult that worships Moretti and is exerting worrisome control over her movements and actions with no way for her to communicate to the outside world.
Opus makes its Sundance world premiere ahead of a planned March release by A24, the latest entry in its celebrated horror-thriller canon. This is a film that starts off calmly enough and only gradually begins to introduce foreboding music and terrifying developments. While it does contain its share of gore and disturbing content, it hews closer to being a thriller where the real horror comes from the lack of concern any of Moretti’s other guests, including Stan, have even when they are very blatant signs that something is not right about this place. Those range from similar scars on each cult member’s hands to some decidedly weirder stuff, like Moretti’s apparent insistence that anyone who attends his preview undergo a rather personal shave.
Those who enjoy this type of film will likely find what they’re looking for here, but Mark Anthony Green’s first film, however creative in initial conception, especially when it comes to Moretti’s flamboyance and eccentricity, doesn’t feel all too fresh. Its narrative is somewhat lacking and predictable, and it doesn’t have the same personality or gravitas as something similar like The Menu. It’s certainly a decent and stressful way to spend to way 103 minutes if that’s what you’re into, but there’s nothing that feels particularly distinct about the story it tells.
Everything about Moretti is also quite strange, and the way in which everyone except for Ariel is hypnotized by him doesn’t feel entirely realistic. While musicians are often celebrated in a way that feels like worship, the way that this group, known as Levelists, operate and treat Moretti like their savior is far too recognizable as a dangerous cult for anyone of any moderate intelligence not to be even slightly suspicious. Perhaps it’s an allegory for how society views celebrities, but its presentation feels a bit thin.
Regardless of its dramatic effectiveness, this film does boast some worthwhile performances, particularly from Edebiri and Malkovich. The Emmy-winning star of The Bear has been on a furious film festival tour over the past few years, and she’s back at Sundance two years after Theater Camp with a role that stands in completely for the audience, blending her signature quirkiness with a true sense of terror. Malkovich is always at his best when he indulges the craziness of his characters, and he’s certainly doing something memorable. Bartlett and Juliette Lewis, as a trashy TV host, represent a different vibe in this film, one of blind and self-serving consumerism which the film seems to want to critique but doesn’t know exactly how to unpack. Opus might be a fun watch for genre fans but isn’t transcendent or clever enough to break through to all audiences.
Movie Rating: 5/10