Write a commentA little over 6 years ago, I recall avoiding our local Fourth of July parade, opting instead to drive about thirty miles south to see Ari Aster's "Midsommar".
I tried getting other people to join me. My efforts were not successful. Msybe they really like free candy and those old guys on the small motorcycles. Who knows?
Once in the theater, I settled, knowing, more or less, what I was in for. Despite having seen "Hereditary", Aster's previous film, I was not prepared. "Midsommar" has a specific way of creeping up on you. The dread is palpable and you're uncomfortable for the duration of the film. That's Aster's schtick. Whether you have the patience for it is another question. Me? If I'm in capable hands, I'm able to be engrossed. One of the film's greatest strengths is its patience.
"Opus" is "Midsommar" for people who read the last page of a book first. "Opus" has all the beats of "Midsommar", but it doesn't have the patience for things like pacing and dread. It almost acts like a parody of "Midsommar", except its not funny.
Between this and "Death of a Unicorn", A24 went from producing original works by exciting filmmakers to producing A24 movies. That seems confusing. What I mean is the films the studios make now are people trying to make an A24 film instead of just making a film that would be produced by A24. I'm sure there's some "chicken or the egg" conversation to be had here.
Think of it this way: "E.T.-The Extra-Terrestrial" came out in 1982. It was an original work by an exciting filmmaker. It's a classic for a reason. In 2011, J.J. Abrams made "Super 8", an "original" work. "Super 8" is Spielberg-lite. Abrams wasn't trying to make an original film; he was trying to ape Spielberg. He did a decent job and the movie was fun, but why watch "Super 8" when you can watch "E.T."?
Same goes for "Opus". There's nothing that makes it standout against its own competition. Ayo Edebiri is a great, hilarious actress. Look no further than "Bottoms" for proof of this. She can carry a film and is a joy to watch. Similar to "Death of a Unicorn" and Jenna Ortega, Edebiri is failed by the movie she's in.
Even John Malkovich...JOHN MALKOVICH seems bored. I'm sure the paycheck was nice, or the idea that you're always working. But this is Mitch Leary (from "In the Line of Fire"), this is Cyrus the Virus (from "Con Air"), this is Teddy KGB (from "Rounders"). Malkovich is one of our finest actors and usually is fun to watch. But his heart isn't in it. Even towards the end where he gets slightly more menacing, it seems subdued somehow. You don't cast Malkovich unless you want him going 100%. We're lucky to get 25% of his presence in this.
It's another movie, again like "Death of a Unicorn", where the idea of things being funny and scary is front and center, even if the things aren't actually funny nor scary. A lot of "Can you imagine..." situations. "Creepy" or "funny" ideas that are just dropped in front of you instead of built up.
Say you're watching a movie and two characters are talking to one another, sitting at a table.. It's banal conversation, poorly shot and neither of the actors in the scene are really doing anything. Then it turns out the chairs are actually naked people. You're shocked and confused, but it doesn't last.
It's like starting a campfire with kerosene. You light a match and it's a fire, sure. Maybe you still have your eyebrows. Maybe. But the fire goes out. For the sake of warmth, and your eyebrows, it's best to build the fire. Give it air to breathe, time to grow.
Even at its basics, "Opus" isn't even really successful. Usually with these kinds of movies, there's some element that you can hang your hat on, so to speak. The movie isn't particularly well shot, it's not funny, it's not scary.
I want to be clear about something. I am an enormous coward when it comes to horror movies. I squirm, cover my eyes and, once I'm home, I put my back to a wall until I fall asleep. That sleep is usually riddled with nightmares.
The reason I stopped this article dead to confess this is to explain if something isn't scary to me, it's not because I'm desensitized to scary movies. It's because this movie couldn't scare a coward like me. "Opus" is listed as a horror movie. Is it too much for a horror movie to be scary?
When I walked out of the theater after seeing "Midsommar", I had a decent drive back home. I had time to think about what I had just seen. After I was back in town, I told people about what I had just witnessed. Told them they should see it.
When I was finished watching "Opus", I grimaced. I switched off the TV, sighing. Even though I was by myself, I said three words to myself before drifting off to sleep:
"What a waste."
Opus (2025)
Directed by Mark Anthony Green
Cast: Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Amber Midthunder, Tony Hale
Runtime: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for violent content including a grisly image, language, sexual material and brief graphic nudity.
Rating (out of ****): *
"Opus" is streaming on HBO Max (with a subscription) and for rent/purchase on all major platforms.
