Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
We have another cult movie on our hands! This time, a writer hoping to prove herself is looking for her big story. A group from her news outlet is invited to a remote location to witness the resurgence of an old pop icon releasing his new album. Upon arrival, they notice the people working at the location have strange behaviors. The group quickly realizes that the intentions for the gathering are more sinister than expected. Can they escape and share the truth?
Positives:
First time director Mark Anthony Green tackles an interesting story for his first outing. The plot borrows elements from films like “Midsommar, Blink Twice, Wicker Man”, and others with similar material. I always find stories involving cult activity fascinating, wondering how they will unfold and what the end motive of the group will be. “Opus” places our characters in a space where they investigate an eccentric pop star who has been reclusive for a long time. As the layers get peeled back, we get to see some unsettling and controlling behavior from the pop star’s workers. The story moves at a pretty good pace, not lingering on one part of the story for too long.
The main performance worth noting comes from John Malkovich. He is engaging as usual, bringing a more subdued performance form his cult like character this time. While he has his outbursts and eccentric behavior, he is mostly retrained. I enjoyed seeing him bring a different approach, highlighting how the celebrity lifestyle can get to people’s heads and create narcissism over time. The remote desert setting helped with the tone. We feel as isolated as our characters do, adding to the discomfort. The more unstable the cult becomes, the more we feel the sense of urgency to escape.
Negatives:
Since “Opus” borrows material from other films, it doesn’t feel the most original. That being said, I still enjoyed aspects of the story. Some of the twists and turns feel predictable, especially the conclusion. I had a feeling of, “Oh, that’s it?” once the group’s intentions are revealed. The tension isn’t built as effectively as other cult films of the past. The premise was there but the execution could use some work. I never felt the lingering sense of dread throughout the story. Some of the editing was strange too, where a scene’s execution was underwhelming when it should have felt sharper. The story is full of unlikable people too. The performances and writing of the characters are poorly written and performed, especially from Ayo Edebiri and Murray Bartlett. Most of the story just didn’t feel as intense as it should have, which is a bummer from a movie revolving around a cult.
Conclusion:
I enjoyed “Opus” for what it was. It features some chilly sequences in a remote location with an entertaining performance from John Malkovich. But the lackluster elements surrounding the tension and motivation of the cult leave a lot to be desired. The film isn’t bad, it just could have been better. The characters and performances from the rest of the cast also needed work. I’d say check out “Opus” if cult movies are of interest, just don’t expect it to feel as fresh as others in the genre.
