Opus is a revenge cult thriller. I’m not a die-hard fan of cult films, but this one was entertaining. Solid acting, a steady pace, and just enough weirdness to keep me watching.
The movie kicks off with Ariel (played by Ayo Edibiri), a writer frustrated that her career isn’t where she thinks it should be. Then we meet Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich), a once-famous pop star who suddenly resurfaces after 30 years of silence.
Ariel and a group of journalists are invited to his compound, and from there… it’s straight down the rabbit hole. The bread scene? Absolutely vile. Everyone—over a dozen people—takes a bite from the same loaf, one after the other, passing it around like communion gone wrong. By the time it reached Ariel, I was sick just watching her face. The disgust in her eyes said it all.
Then, out of nowhere, the killings start—and way earlier than I expected. It threw me, but it also cranked up the tension and gave Ariel real reason to dig deeper into who these “Levelists” are.
As the movie neared its ending, I actually paused and went straight to Wikipedia just to make sure I was following it all. Ariel’s frantic escape near the end—driving, terrified but determined—felt raw and believable. Fear has a way of giving you superhuman strength, and escaping death? That’ll do it.
When I looked it up afterward, I saw Opus only has a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.3 audience score. Yet the first review I read was titled: “I absolutely loved this movie!” And honestly, I get it. It’s bizarre without explanation, but sometimes that’s the point. Movies like this play with your head, throwing you out of your comfort zone in a way predictable thrillers just don’t.
It’s trippy, too—full of disco-soaked hallucinations and outlandish visuals that make you question if it’s real or just a fever dream. For a moment, I thought it was building toward something bigger. But nope—this is firmly a cult thriller. The Levelists follow Alfred Moretti’s belief that critics kill creativity. I’m not saying I agree with their methods, but I get the sentiment. And honestly, people are always looking for something—or someone—to follow.
Overall? I was entertained. No regrets, no wasted minutes. I’d give it an 8/10.
Have you seen Opus yet? Did you catch it in theaters or wait for streaming?