Recensioni degli utenti

What starts as a tense, creepy, something's-off-here cult movie ends as a confusing mess with little to no payoff.

The acting by the leads (Edebiri, Malkovich, Bartlett) was superb, whereas the other characters were all lacking depth, boring, and filler for the sake of what this movie considers to be "plot." Edebiri, as always, is fantastic at her craft, able to express so many emotions in her facial expressions, eye movements, and tone of voice. Malkovich is wonderful and plays the icon of Moretti perfectly. Bartlett plays a lovable asshole who you would never want as your boss, and he's damn good at the role.

A lot of the odd elements in this movie felt like things the writers threw in for the sake of making the movie feel more eerie and unsettling while simultaneously never offering any explanation or reason as to why they were included.

The first act felt a little long, act two ramped up way too fast and increased the stakes way too soon, and act three was a mess that had no pacing direction whatsoever. The very middle of act two felt like what should have been the midway point of act three, so when act three starts everything feels rushed to try and catch up with the feelings evoked already in the previous act.

What I watched was a hodgepodge of ideas with a half-baked story poorly attempting to tie it all together. It's as if someone mashed together Jonestown, pop icons David Bowie and Prince, Midsommar, and Get Out into a giant nothing burger. Really disappointed in this, though I still feel like it's worth seeing once just to feel the weight of certain scenes that were actually executed great. Even the cinematography was stunning, but the plot was a turd painted gold. 5.5/10.

A common theme throughout most of the critic and amateur reviews of Opus is that, "we've seen this before." The premise - an unassuming person enters a secretive compound/community that hides nefarious things - is pretty well trodden ground. The structure, where, just by the trailers you can tell it'll be mystery upon mystery until it all comes together in the end, feels tired.

Opus does make an attempt to set itself apart; it's firmly about celebrity worship and the way some can easily excuse a person's objectively bad behaviour because they've made songs or movies we enjoy (we're all guilty of this). The film's music, especially the songs by fictional pop star Moretti (John Malkovich) is pretty good. (He's kind of like Depeche Mode meets the Weeknd) I find it's hard to nail a real world sound for fictional music stars, but they knocked it out of the part with the imitation.

I also really liked the world-building. This cult is committed to an ideology called "Levelism" that feels kooky, yet fully fleshed out (and let's be real, not that dissimilar from the ideas of people like Peter Thiel or Curtis Yarvin).

It's also a really well shot film, with some impressive camera work and stunning visuals; the lighting is great, as are a lot of the costumes, sets, and makeup effects. One scene in particular - with undoubtedly the film's best and frankly, nastiest, kill - made my skin crawl. You'll know it when you see it.

That being said, Opus never quite hits the level of films like Get Out, Midsommar, The Menu, or The Invitation. For one, as lovable as Ayo Debiri is, she's basically playing the same character she always plays; brimming with nervous awkwardness. Her character is boring and essentially an empty vessel, lacking interiority. (And yes, I know this is on purpose. No, it doesn't make the movie better)

I also wasn't blown away by John Malkovich either; he actually felt very miscast to me. He didn't have the gravitas or energy for a role like this to truly work.

The film has bold ideas, but the script feels inefficient. It doesn't drive its points home, its characters feel underwritten, and I feel like the need to make everything "creepy" - as per subgenre conventions - took away from the point of the story. We're not supposed to come into the compound feeling uneasy, it's should feel like a kid getting invited to the Chocolate Factory, but it doesn't.

Opus is feels like someone offering you another appetizer after you've finished a dinner. Even if it's good, you don't REALLY want to eat it. Maybe with a bit of time, you can appreciate it later at home, but it won't be as good as it would've been, had you had it earlier.

I had high hopes for Opus, especially since it promised to explore the dark side of celebrity culture. John Malkovich is incredible as always, playing Alfred Moretti, a reclusive pop star inviting industry elites to his mysterious desert compound. The setting was stunning, and the mood was appropriately eerie. But somewhere along the way, the story lost me. It felt like the film wanted to be profound and unsettling, but it didn't have enough depth to really deliver. The characters felt like caricatures, and the horror elements were stylish but shallow. It's one of those films where the concept is better than the execution. I wanted to be immersed, but I ended up feeling detached.

With standout performances by Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich Opus is definitely worth watching for the acting alone. However the biggest turn offs are a few gross moments and a third act that is a chaotic mess.

Yet with outstanding cinematography, slick production design, and stellar music by legendary composers Nile Gregory Rodgers and The-dream, Opus has enough surreal quirks to perhaps propel its destiny into sleeper hit cult status.

The producers may have been thinking they were creating the next big auteur horror thriller, and if this was the case, they certainly missed the mark. Far from being a masterpiece, Opus may be best enjoyed as a guilty pleasure dark satire in which its flaws only contribute to its off kilter charm.

Opus wants to be daring and profound but mostly gives in to pretentiousness. John Malkovich is electric as a deranged ex-pop star cult leader, but everything else around him fails. The film throws gaudy images and provocative scenes against the wall and hopes something will stick-little does.

Director Mark Anthony Green is more interested in being provocative than in coming up with a coherent narrative. Characters vanish, tone shifts at random, and anything that attempts to be satirical is submerged in the bedlam. It's like a fever dream of film school with a decent soundtrack.

There's something here, but it's buried beneath masses of over-written trash and "weird for weirdness' sake" choices. One of the most frustrating films of the year-not because it's awful, but because it had the potential to be something amazing.

I thought it was a great story with unsettling but very relevant message especially in today's society. You could feel something was off and that the movie had a sinister vibe and it didn't take long for the ball to get rolling it was well paced and I though the visuals were good and the music was solid as well as the camera work, it was thrilling and entertaining I was trying to put things together and wondered what would happen next and it definitely gave you cult vibes. But in its own lane stemming from worshipping a pop icon and his religion. The ending to me was good it was bloody violent brutal and chilling and there was a twist at the end that brought everything together and the message was clear you won't regret watching it Ayo Edeniri was absolutely great and John Malkovich delivered at a sinister high level I rate it a 7.0 out of 10.

Opus started off pretty solid but fell apart in the final act. It's similar to other stories like Midsommar, Get Out, Blink Twice, The Menu, etc. So this wasn't anything new, but that wasn't much of an issue for me. The problem is in the explanation for what drives the cult. What it's about - its purpose. Malkovich's character sorta kinda attempts to offer an explanation at the end, but it didn't feel sufficiently solid enough to patch up the holes created by that issue. The acting in here was great though, and it was fun to see Malkovich ham it up the way he did. This was director Mark Anthony Green's first film, and he was also the writer. He has potential, as evidenced by the strong first half of the story. But he needs a bit more work to stick the landing. Video review available on my YouTube channel.

I went to a Cineworld Unlimited card holders preview of "Opus" earlier this week. I can see why it hasn't been well reviewed, but I have to admit that I rather enjoyed it.

After three decades out of public life, Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich), the biggest popstar of the 90's announces a new album and invites several selected journalists and influencers to his compound, for a weekend listening party. Included in the group is Ariel (Aye Edebiri) an inexperienced journalist at a culture magazine. As the group arrive, they discover that Moretti's compound is home to a number of passionate followers, though only Ariel seems to be concerned by the unsettling vibe of the place.

As I say, I can understand the complaints that people have had. I don't think it explores the things it's talking about very well. There are nods to celebrity indulgence and cult experiences. Thinly veiled jibes at scientology and at how magazine journalism works. But nods is all they are. Once the secrets of the film start to spill out, it briefly becomes a relatively standard horror film and then ends with a hint of a twist. This section is perhaps where the film is it's most basic and it's reasonably dull at this point.

I preferred it a lot more in the first half, where the film reminded me a lot of "Midsommar". An isolated environment where the existing group may, or may not, have malevolent intent towards the confused guests. Malkovich is having a ball as Moretti and whilst I never quite bought that the music would be "world altering pop" it's pitched as - I did at least think that the Nile Rodgers provided jams were good.

I think that there's not enough here to recommend that you head out to the cinema to see the film, but in the more forgiving world of home viewing, it'll find its fans.

I'm baffled by the overly negative comments offered. This might not be a masterpiece, but it's a very satisfying movie that is not boring to watch. John Malkovitch is spot on as a superstar musician trying a comeback while ensnared in a divergent universe. And choosing Ayo Edebiri as the young ambitious journalist, as spontaneous and skin-deep as Malkovitch's charachter is superficial and cunning, provides a perfect alchemy on screen. We are dealing here with a new generation of horror flicks, the one Jordan Peele gave the patron of with Us. An horror without monsters or serial killers beyond our own selves, our neighbours, or be it our idols. A whole generation of genre films will need to own up to Us, it won't be easy. But that's not a reason to ignore them unilaterally. Opus is a good movie, brilliantly acted, which offers well balanced uneasiness and anguish, adding fringe black humour to the lot regarding the cult op personality and its complacent medias. It would be a shame to go without it because gore and bodies do not occupy most of screen time.

Given the current climate it's no surprise that cult of personality movies are coming thick and fast. Opus isn't one of the best but there is enough of interest to worth a glance if black comedy and celebrity parody are your bag.

Ayo Edebiri plays young music journalist Ariel, desperate to write something meaningful which seams a long way away thanks to her "old fashioned" editor (Murray Bartlett), who treats her as a glorified note taker while giving all the juicy assignments to the lads. An opportunity presents itself when reclusive music genius Alfred Morreti (John Malkovich) surfaces after thirty years and she is one of the select few people invited to his compound for a weekend celebration and exclusive first listen. On the downside, her editor is also invited ("obviously I'll write the piece") and on arrival there is the small matter of Morreti clearly being involved in a cult. There are some other guests; a radio DJ, a paparazzi and Juliet Lewis as a self-important chat show host but everyone except Ariel is too enraptured by their proximity to Morreti to notice the blatantly sinister vibe on display.

There is plenty of good stuff on display here. First time director/writer (and former magazine journalist) Mark Anthony Green sets a good scene, with the desert backdrop both idyllic and eerie, and he strikes a good balance between tension and humour. The supporting cast are all good. Whether its fawning sycophants, arrogant schmoozers or creepy cultists, everyone is good value. Edebiri in the lead role is very good. Droll without being alienating she portrays Ariel as smart and ambitious, reacting to the goings on in a pretty believable way and it's her realism that holds the film together. The film is most entertaining, unsurprisingly, when Malkovich is on screen. He leans fully into the ridiculousness of his ageing pop star, preening and lapping up attention while displaying enough intelligence and humility (he calls himself a simple song man) to come across as the real deal, in terms of song writing talent at least. His legitimacy is helped by the fact that Nile Rodgers and The Dream provide original songs for the movie (Rodgers is also a producer on the film). Scenes where Ariel speaks to Morreti provide the meat and the film could have used a little more of them together.

And that's where Opus falls down a bit. There just isn't enough of anything. It touches on plenty of ideas; perception of celebrity cult vs religious cult, the nature of creativity, the impact of perspective on reporting, peoples willingness to be manipulated, but is content to point at them rather than say anything. More fundamentally, while the horror elements are there, they are fleeting and unevenly spaced. This leads to the plot feeling a little random and meandering rather than building toward a conclusion, When the climax does happen it feels a bit out of nowhere, although there is a fairly interesting sting in the tail.

Opus doesn't have the energy and urgency of something like a "Blink Twice" and is a long way short of the efficient genre thrills of the film it most closely resembles, "The Menu", but if you ignore the fact it is swimming in a pool with much bigger fish then it is still fairly entertaining. You don't get a tightly stitched plot or a deep exploration of any of the films ideas but you do get some laughs and good performances, including the full John Malkovich.

7 dry humping old pop stars out of 10.

"Opus" starts with strong promise, pulling viewers in with its intriguing premise and some great music. The Moretti tracks are undeniably a highlight, complementing the emotional depth of the film and elevating its scenes.

However, the film's strength begins to falter as it progresses, especially with its underwhelming conclusion. While the opening is engaging, the ending feels rushed and fails to deliver the emotional payoff it sets up.

It's a shame, as the book was Ariel Ecton's ultimate goal but the scene just seems tacked on at the end, leaving the narrative feeling incomplete. Overall, while "Opus" is an enjoyable watch, it leaves much to be desired.

If Midsommar threw on a pair of jeans and played an electric guitar, you'd have Opus.

There's no denying the film's atmosphere-equal parts fever dream and surreal art installation-but the premise felt oddly familiar. A strange cult? Check. Ominous followers watching every move? Check. Friends disappearing without explanation? Also check. It's hard not to feel like Ari Aster already laid the groundwork here, and did it with more finesse.

That said, John Malkovich delivers a predictably mesmerizing performance as the enigmatic cult leader, giving the film much of its weight. The visuals, music, and costume design add layers of intrigue, even if they occasionally veer into style-over-substance territory.

Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and, at times, too far-fetched to land with impact. It's a film that reaches for depth but doesn't quite dig far enough.

Opus isn't without merit-but if you've already followed Aster into the woods, this journey may feel more like déjà vu than discovery.

This had good potential and John Malkovich can usually be relied upon when eccentricity is needed, but the rest of this is an incomplete and rather messy reminder of "Midsommar" meets "Ten Little Indians". He is the reclusive pop star "Moretti" who announces after almost thirty years away, that he is to release his comeback album. The industry goes wild for this news and when he announces his own version of a golden ticket and invites a select group to join him for an exclusive get together at his ranch, the enthusiast journalist "Ariel" (Ayo Edebiri) accompanies her limelight hogging boss to this ultimate weekend. Of course, as soon as she arrives she finds the place akin to a cult. Loads of almost automaton acolytes, some cruelly painful oyster shucking and loads of sexually fluid flamboyance from their host all starts to get her heckles up and gradually we become aware that their is an altogether ulterior motive for this carefully contrived fine dining experience. When one of their number goes missing, well things rapidly speed to a denouement that is straight out of Agatha Christie. The point it makes in the end is actually quite a clever one, but the rest of this is all derivative and simplistic. Why were this group selected? Who are they? What have they in common with each other or with their antagonist? For something that's supposed to be random and spontaneous, the entire plot depends on characters making very specific (and not always the most natural of) choices en route. Malkovich does stand out, but that might also be as much to do with the really mediocre writing and the remainder of the cast delivering a very join-the-dots performance. Sadly, this is nothing original nor special and really disappoints.

Watched at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

A24 recently seems to be having a slump with their horror movies because while Opus has a good concept and a good performance from Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich, it's exhausting narrative, repetitive nature, and bland structure fails to impress itself with it's concept and becomes more of a dull and uninspired experience.

The filmmaker clearly has an vision of celebrity worshipping and cult atmospheres but it feels like a blend of many themes and ideas mashed together, that don't feel earned nor impacted. Including characters that are underdeveloped and at times, unbearable with their bad dialogue and personality. Ayo Edebiri and John Malkovich really are the best aspects and even with good camerawork and production designs, the narrative and characters aren't good as they end up becoming horror cliches and predictable structure that leads with no creative moments.

A24 horror flicks are usually pretty great but in recent times, their horror works have been going down and I do hope A24 is able to get back onto track soon.

Contrary to the tide of critical disapproval, I thought it was engaging throughout with tension and humour, even if the premise is a bit far-fetched. John Malcovitch is hilarious as the pompous and reclusive megastar, whose manic narcissism meant you could believe he might do anything to anybody around him if his ego feels the slightest knock. There are so many aging rockers still going in the world (and good luck to them!) that I don't think his supposed aging stardom or geriatric gyrations should stretch audience credulity too far. I pictured him as if Elton John had gone through the black lodge in Twin Peaks and emerged in Utah.

From earlier this year comes this dead-on arrival quirky comedy starring current 'it' girl Ayo Edebiri. Edebiri is a magazine journalist who's not gaining any traction in her job but then the announcement has hit the airwaves that a reclusive musical artist, Oscar nominee John Malkovich, has a new release which'll wow the world (we see a montage of people digging the new track to boot!). Edibiri & some other select guests (which includes Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis) are invited to Malkovich's compound to participate in a album listening party which we know by the vibe of his staff, one played by Amber Midthunder, will be off. Edibiri is soon over her head as Malkovich's followers soon knock off the guests as their attitude is not in line w/what their great leader demands which sends Edibiri into heroine mode to save the day. I wish this film would've picked a lane since it starts off as a quirkfest (much like Malkovich's Being John Malkovich) but when the blood starts spewing & the events are meant to be taken straight (something Jonathan Demme did so effortlessly w/his film Something Wild), I really didn't care anymore & any investment I had (which wasn't much to be fair since the film was scorched critically) disappeared into the air like so much vaped plumes. Also co-starring Veep's Tony Hale as an on-screen Malkovich sycophant.

Let me get this out of the way: I totally understand why a lot of people do not like this film. It's weird. Very weird. And while that is on par for A24 horror movies, it's a strange mix of genres that a lot of people might have trouble enjoying. It's a music-centered cult thriller that delves into psychological horror, a bit of gore, and John Malkovich being super weird.

With that all being said, it's because of those reasons that I really like the film. The original songs in the movie are honestly really good and captures the older style that Malkovich's character was going for. The writing is weird at first but it gets better as the film progresses.

The costuming, makeup, and production design are honestly incredible and carry a lot of the enjoyable aspects of the film where there are other parts that are lacking.

So even though it's not the best A24 has come up with, and it is certainly an acquired taste, I enjoyed it, and it definitely wouldn't hurt to give it a try if you've got time.

Opus (2025) is the newest movie from A24 and it was very underwhelming, but it wasn't terrible.

Positives for Opus (2025): The movie has an interesting enough plot involving the music industry. The acting is very good for what they had to work with. There are some cool things with the directing style. The movie moves at a good pace to it. And finally, the movie has a very interesting ending.

Negatives for Opus (2025): The plot has some wonky execution to it. The characters aren't interesting or well developed. I barely knew what was happening with the story. And finally, I have no idea what the point of this movie was supposed to be.

Overall, Opus (2025) is an okay but also very underwhelming movie from A24.

Okay. Sooooo... uuhhhhh..... how do I start talking about this movie? Well, it's DISTURBING AS FUDGE for a start. There wasn't as much gore in this movie as I was thinking. Honestly, I don't even know what I was thinking when going to the cinema to watch this. The concept is not that bad. The REAL question is: Was it executed well enough to be a "good" movie? Well, it depends on what kind of horror/thrillers you are into. There's a scene in the middle of the movie that made me cringe. The ending wasn't really what I was expecting, which can be a good and a bad thing. I don't know if it is a good or bad thing in this case. The movie was pretty underwhelming, which I think was just trying to build the tension. When blood WAS on the screen, though, there wasn't loads of it. But there was an "injury" (not a kill) that was pretty painful to watch. If you have seen the movie, then you probably know which one I'm talking about. I'm talking about the bean bag one. If you know, you know. The "twist" at the end of the movie wasn't something that I saw coming. I wouldn't say that this is a good movie, but I wouldn't say it's a bad one either.

Like many other reviews, I'll disclaim the following first: Yes, it's incredibly similar to Midsommar in a variety of ways. Yes, A24 has plenty of other, more artistically *provocative* movies that you might feel are more worth your time. However.

Unlike Midsommar and many other A24 movies, this one doesn't purport to take itself that seriously, and I think that's a key difference here. Ayo Edebiri does a fine job of setting the tone and relatability of her character - a woman (of color no less) who is constantly overlooked at a job where she's more than paid her dues. Her character isn't more fleshed-out beyond the opening acts because honestly, it doesn't need to be. This is a comedic horror film about a populist cult. It's not meant to be taken with intense seriousness, it's just a fun ride to go on if you let it take you with it.

That being said, the epilogue of the film says more than the rest, if you're open to hearing it. In the era of not just our most well-known populist leaders but also of people like Sam Bankman-Fried of the Effective Altruist movement, the last act of this rather silly thrill ride speaks volumes.

Bottom line: if you're looking for something to chill you to your core or keep you up at night, look elsewhere. If you're open to a garish, self-deprecating horror-thriller and willing to read between the lines a bit, you might enjoy yourself.

Opus: Another horror film about a Cult, this time it has elements of satire and dark comedy. 90s pop superstar Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) announces a new album after 27 years in seclusion. He invites five old sparring partners to a listening party at his Utah compound. They include magazine editor Stan (Murray Bartlett), talk show host Clara (Juliette Lewis) and radio shock jock Bill (Mark Sivertsen). Surprisingly a sixth invitee is junior journalist Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri), she is used to having her ideas for articles assigned to other people. Even now Stan instructs her to take notes in oddities and local colour. When they arrive at the compound they realise a cult is also present, Levelists who dress in blue. These cultists serve Moretti, laugh at his jokes and applaud his anecdotes. Things turn odd when each guest is assigned a personal concierge who follows them everywhere. The horror begins when Bill is murdered during a massage. Malkovich eats up the scenery and is obviously enjoying himself as he plays Moretti who is out to settle old scores. Each of his victims will face a unique and torturous termination if he has his way. While there are some good jokes and the dark humour manages to leaven some of the horror, the mood becomes deadly serious at times. Perhaps Opus falls between two stools here. The satire is biting, especially when a puppet show lampoons the media and celebrities. There's more than one plot twist, I'll keep quiet about them. Generally good performances. Not a great horror film but certainly a good one. Written and Directed by Mark Anthony Green. 7/10.