Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich's OPUS is Snarky, Stylish, and Slightly Unhinged - Sundance Review
As a devout worshipper at the church of A24 (I’m kidding, mostly,) I was super excited to see The Bear’sAyo Edebiri acting alongside John Malkovich in the latest horror film, Opus.
Malkovich plays an aging pop superstar named Moretti who hasn’t been seen in 30 years. When he finally announces a new album, he invites an exclusive group to his compound in the desert to be the first to hear it.
Edebiri’s character, Ariel, is by far the youngest and least-known invitee, but she’s determined to make a name for herself as a celebrity journalist.
But things quickly take a dark turn, as is often the case when one is invited onto a compound in the desert. Moretti appears to have amassed a literal cult following, complete with matching blue outfits and a sparkle in their eyes every time they look upon their leader.
Malkovich stuns as a bald Lady Gaga–just kidding. But I genuinely did love his songs and extravagant costumes, so maybe like the attendees of this listening party,
I was able to overlook some of the less desirable aspects of this film, such as its incohesive jumble of themes, absurd puppet show, and flat ending.
When it isn’t taking itself so seriously, Opus is a snarky if unoriginal commentary on the absurdity of celebrity, which made me laugh more than a few times. But by the end, it seems as if they ran out of jokes.
In the film, “A young writer is invited to the remote compound of a legendary pop star who mysteriously disappeared 30 years ago. Surrounded by the star’s cult of sycophants and intoxicated journalists, she finds herself in the middle of his twisted plan.”
The film was directed by Mark Anthony Green, and it’s described as “a bold, fun, and flashy pop-horror.”
It’s explained: “Amidst eye-catching, synthy musical numbers and the enigmatic desert compound, the facade of civility gradually erodes between the pair, revealing the underbelly of a tense, psychosocial game of cat and mouse.
“Opus offers an electric, clever indictment of the literal cult of celebrity, presenting characters and dangers within a symphonic ambience — giving way to a foreboding ease through which power is generated and embedded within pop culture.”