More Ayo In Horror Please! 'Opus' (2025) Review

He's Back My Babies!

Directing his first feature length film, Mark Anthony Green dives into the dynamics of journalism and the reality of celebrity culture. With a career in journalism, Green's expertise is evident in the characters he's created in Opus, a film about the surprise return of a music icon. 

Alfred Morertti (John Malkovich) hasn't put out an album in 30 years but he's back and he has invited a select group of people, including Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edibiri), to listen to his 18th album live at his secluded compound. Invited along with Ariel are her editor, Stan (Murray Bartlett), an influencer (Stephanie Suganami), a paparazza (Melissa Chambers), a daytime TV host (Juliette Lewis), and a declared enemy of Morretti, Bill Latto (Mark Sivertsen). 

The film kicks off with a small look at our lead, Ariel. She is shown to be insignificant as the camera pans out while she's walking through the city, making her appear as small and average as she feels. We don't spend much time with her before she and her team are watching a YouTube video from Moretti's PR rep (Soledad Yusef) announcing to everyone that Moretti is back and the world goes crazy. We see everyone who has been invited recieve an exclusive gift basket from the icon himself, even Ariel. Once she arrives at Moretti's compound, she is greeted by a group of people in blue robes who take their cellphones, laptops or anything to connect them to the outside world. Unphased by Moretti's Michael Jackson-like aura, Ariel senses that The Levelists, the cult that Moretti has secluded in the desert, have an alterior motive. But no one sees it but her.

Opus plays out like one would it expect it to. While the film is entertaining and the music gets you moving, there isn't anything exceptional about the plot or its characters. I didn't even realize one of the characters was missing because that is how insequential they were to the story. Who are these people? Why do they matter?  Green is clearly trying to say something with this film, and we are later met with a play by play exposistion dump explaining it all at the end.

Ayo Edibiri and John Malkovich are clear standouts in this quirky film, but that isn't because the other cast members didn't try. Juliette Lewis, an icon in her own right, does well as Clara, a conglomerate in the industry who is fighting to stay relevant as she ages. But she isn't given enough time to be flushed out as a character and all I can remember about her is her hair. This is the case with the other characters as well. It's almost as if Green bit off a little more than he could chew. 

As the members of this group start disappearing and Ariel realizes what awaits for her, a cat and mouse chase ensues. Ariel must not have take Horror Movie Survival 101 because as smart as she is, she fails the first test by doing something stupid. Opus feels familiar, almost too familiar, with nothing to set it apart. Green fails to really push past the status quo and holds back in areas where we needed more. There is not reason in 2025 we should be outside of a door during a violent scene. Open the door, Mark!

There's still a lot to love about Opus. Is it predictable? Sure. But the journey is an entertaining ride. It's clear that Green has a lot to say about the industry he's worked over a decade in and I think we should listen. And please, Ayo Edibiri needs to be in more horror films!