Discussing The New Movie “Opus”

Opus: a created work, usually in a musical nature. (vocabulary.com) 

Recently hitting theaters in January, Opus, written and directed by Mark Anthony Green, has sparked discussions around the U.S.The story follows a young journalist who travels to a remote location. There, a world-renowned music artist lives, remaining unseen by the public eye for thirty years. However, as the movie progresses, people begin to disappear, and their personal concierges won’t let up on them traveling to a remote location, where a world renowned music artist who has been dormant and unseen for the past thirty years is now releasing a new album. In shocking turns of events, the audience realizes that something may be off, when people start disappearing, and their personal concierges wont let up on them. This film stars Bottoms  star Ayo Edeibri, adding to her impressive resume since her start to the acting scene in 2014. 

Last week, I sat in the theaters, at the edge of my seat. I was completely enthralled by the movie’s anxious aura; I could not wait to find out what happened next! When a bright orange took over the screen and the credits began to roll, I looked at my sister and her best friend, Morgan and said, “Wow, that was really good! What did you guys think?” 

My sister and Morgan looked at me and they both put their thumbs down. Absolutely shocked at that reaction, I asked why. “They opened up every can of worms in existence and left so many untouched” my sister said. I thought about this the entire way home. 

Opus is a weird and disturbing movie. It has an occult vibe with deep and disgusting twists; it gave me a similar vibe to Ari Aster’s Midsommar—which I loved. However, after going into deep dives of Letterboxd reviews and articles about the movie, I can understand why it received some backlash. 

A Letterboxd user, ‘chaseabreez’ wrote, “Ayo please don’t read this. There were so many elements in this that were unresolved. The combo of Midsommar and Get Out resolves very abruptly to me without much stakes. but it looked pretty cool.” There is a similar consensus with other Letterboxd reviewers.  Rotten Tomatoes reviewer Myles Werntz said, “It frequently leans too heavily on the performances of Malkovich and Edebiri. But one of the places where the film shines is in a tension oddly overlooked by reviews so far: whether there is power in beauty alone or whether it must be supported by force.” 

All in all, it seems as though the audience believe Opus is described as a good story, within the screenplay, but the execution fell short. However, Opus is a visually beautiful film. It’s slightly camp, with comedic aspects and beautiful scenery. Not to mention the talent within the film! My advice? Ignore the reviews. Grab some popcorn and head to a theater, because at the end of the day, Ayo devoured. 

Citations – 

Opus Definition:  

“Opus – Definition, Meaning & Synonyms.” Vocabulary.Com, 

www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/opus#:~:text=An%20opus%20is%20a%20created,blooming%20of%20the %20spring%20flowers. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025. 

Letterboxd Reviews: 

“Opus (2025).” Opus (2025) Directed by Mark Anthony Green • Reviews, Film + Cast • Letterboxd, letterboxd.com/film/opus-2025/. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025. 

Rotten Tomatoes Reviews: 

“Opus – Movie Reviews.” Rotten Tomatoes, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/opus_2025/reviews. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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