Secret Sessions Turn Deadly in an Opus (2025) on Celebrity Worship

Title: Opus

First Non-Festival Release: March 13, 2025 (Theatrical Release)

Director: Mark Anthony Green

Writer: Mark Anthony Green

Runtime: 104 Minutes

Starring: Ayo Edebiri, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

The stories we bring life to are important for many reasons. Words have the power to construct narratives and inspire movements. It’s never a case of if words will be misused but how will they be misused.

This is the central thesis of Opus, as we follow Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri) accept an exclusive invitation to infamous musician Moretti’s (John Malcovich) album release party after he spent decades in seclusion. Her arrival is met with excitement and intrigue before Ariel begins to suspect something far more sinister is afoot. Between missing peers, unanswered questions, and a sinking feeling in her gut that something is wrong, Ariel must convince the others of the danger and stop Moretti’s plans before it is too late.

Condemnations of celebrity worship culminate in middling cult-based horror effort Opus.

A familiar story on the dangers of cults, Opus doesn’t change much to the tried-and-true formula. All the necessary elements for a good mystery are here. Ayo Edebiri is a captivating lead performer, the story has a compelling setup with a hungry young reporter desperate for a big break stumbling upon something career-changing, and A24 is well-known for either allowing its directors full control of their visions or selecting very particular efforts for distribution. Opus doesn’t have the intentionality of either of A24’s typical production lanes. Edebiri’s Ariel snoops around without much direction, making the audience feel just as lost. The film is short on both interesting answers to Ariel’s questions and unique directions to take this story.

Its focus on how celebrity status can warp interactions and breed a sense of entitlement is well-tread. A famous white man considered a ‘genius’, Moretti serves as a stand in for a variety of men operating in various shades of morality while shielded from criticism by their ferocious fans. Think Johnny Depp, Jared Leto, Kevin Spacey, etc. Throughout their stay, Ariel’s initial respect for the figure dwindles as she realizes what he has built through power and deception. These threads come together when Moretti’s intentions are revealed, not once, but twice. The way it handles Moretti’s legacy makes for some interesting points about social critique and pop culture impact even if it takes its time getting there.

Despite its 104 minute runtime, Opus feels rushed, especially with its extended denouement that feels tacked on to drive its point home. Each story beat manages to take so long to say so little. From Ariel’s introduction to the compound tour and subsequent days the ceremonies take place, Opus struggles to find the right pacing. Couple the chronic issue with its nontraditional ending structure, it presents a lack of clarity on what exactly is important during Ariel’s stay.

The well-rounded cast does their best but the script hampers their ability to save the film. Edebiri has so much charm and energy that it is criminal how she is wasted in Opus. Doing her best to bring depth to Ariel, Edebiri can only do so much to make her character compelling. John Malcovich’s Moretti is certainly charismatic, definitely believable in how he amassed such a cult following in the movie. Unfortunately, his character is butchered beyond belief by the time Opus clears its finale. The rest of the cast does just as well or is serviceable enough to pass.

Certainly not up to A24’s usual caliber, Opus is a fine horror film that feels a bit too late to the party to make the impact it hopes. A strange patchwork of underbaked scenes and well-intentioned commentary comes across as inauthentic and lacking direction. Hopefully this isn’t a strike against Edebiri, who clearly proves she can lead a movie. Her star power, among with Malkovich, boost the stuffy horror drama with their energy and charisma. Not offensive enough to be bad or exciting enough to be enjoyable or scary, Opus occupies a decidedly middle-of-the-road niche in the cult horror subgenre.

Overall Score? 5/10