‘Opus’ transports audience to an increasingly weird musical horror experience

As a horror enthusiast, there aren’t many horror films that genuinely get to me anymore. A24’s “Opus,” released on March 14, is an exception.

Starring Ayo Edebiri – who I adore – the film follows young journalist Ariel (Edebiri) as she gets invited to the exclusive event of a lifetime: pop superstar Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) makes his triumphant return to music.

The cast also includes stellar performances from Juliette Lewis, Murray Bartlett and many more. However, Edebiri and Malkovich’s performances are what really stand out.

The film starts with the announcement of Moretti’s return, and a select group of journalists and influencers are invited to get an exclusive first listen of the new album. Upon arrival, things immediately start to seem weird, at least for Ariel.

The event takes place at an isolated location where they take everyone’s phones and laptops upon arrival.. Everyone is dressed in blue and each guest is assigned someone to follow them everywhere they go. It only gets increasingly uncomfortable from there, and Ariel appears to be the only one to actually notice.

The gathering ends up being far from what they initially expected, with Moretti having other motives beyond just sharing his music with the world. It’s twisted and deeply unsettling, sometimes being just straight up disgusting.

Edebiri’s acting is such a standout in the film — her performance, whether it be with dialogue or simply just her eyes, is more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. She has an incredible ability to pull the audience into the story using just facial expressions, something that is apparent within “Opus.”

I can’t remember the last time I was this deeply affected by a horror film — I saw it with Opinion Editor Taylor Powers, and in class the next day, we discussed how neither of us had stopped thinking about it. In the theater, I legitimately jumped out of my seat, something I never do.

I never know what to expect when seeing an A24 film. Sometimes, it’s weird and artistically unique. Other times, it’s the most disturbing, unsettling thing I have ever seen. “Opus” took creative liberties and didn’t steer away from the gore and strangeness in a way I haven’t seen since “Midsommar.”

Surprisingly, the film was also director Mark Anthony Green’s feature directorial debut. It was so thrilling and beautifully executed that I never would have guessed, and I look forward to more films from him in the future.

The cinematography is insane, with a variety of unsettling yet brilliant parallels and shots present throughout the duration of the film. The use of foreshadowing throughout is also genius, with so many choices going over my head until the reveal.

There isn’t a whole lot I can say about this film without giving it all away, other than if you enjoy horror at all, this is a must see.

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It’s brilliant, terrifying, disturbing, unsettling, beautiful and genius in a way I have never seen before.

I’m still experiencing the lingering effects of seeing this film. Days later, it still hasn’t left my mind. It has the potential to — and should — have the same impact on cinema that “Midsommar” did in 2019. Will it? Unfortunately, I would be surprised due to how limited its release is. However, it’s something everyone should see if given the opportunity — that is, unless

you’re too scared.

Rating: 9.5/10

powers40@miamioh.edu