Sundance Film Festival 2025 – Writer director Mark Anthony Green lands on the scene with an impressive, if predictable feature debut, OPUS. Here hardworking journalist Ariel (Ayo Edebiri) is invited the album release of reclusive music icon Moretti (John Malkovich) at his remote compound in the middle of nowhere only for things to go further than south. There are no major surprises here. The production is razor sharp, the performances range from good to great, and we get a satisfying resolution. Like a predictable pop song, sometimes the familiar is just a fun vibe with a few hooks to pull it above average.

When the story begins, Ariel and her good friend Kent (Young Mazino) sit in a restaurant gabbing about life and career. Kent, her cheerleader, suggests that she step out of the middle and find a direction. It’s a bit difficult when, during a meeting, her suggestion is appropriated by her boss Stan (Murray Bartlett) and assigned to another writer. Ariel just needs the chance to write a good story. Soon enough that happens. After 27 years, the legendary music icon, Moretti, announces a new album titled “Caesar’s Request.” He invites a select few to his constructed Eden to be the first to hear his new work including Ariel and her territorial boss.

Upon arrival, Ariel, Stan, paparazzi photographer Bianca (Melissa Chambers), influencer Emily (Stephanie Suganami) reporter Bill Lotto (Mark Sivertsen) and a talk show personality Clara Armstrong (Juliette Lewis) are stripped of their cell phones and assigned luxurious accommodations and a personal concierge. Moretti makes his arrival at dinner and welcomes the 6 outsiders to his compound of cultish followers. While everyone at dinner is swept away in the luxurious exclusivity of the proceedings, Ariel is a bit more suspicious. As her fellow guests fall under the spell of the event Ariel smells a story and starts digging. However, over the course of the evening, Moretti’s guests begin to disappear one by one and things go from suss to scary.

From the moment OPUS begins, we know this will be a horror film about the dangers of fandom and the cult of celebrity. The trick that Green needs to pull off is telling this tale in an original way. Ariel is a fresh take on the final girl. She is actually smart, resourceful, and hardly helpless. She is also self aware, holding back and reading the room rather than becoming part of it. There should be an addendum to the saying that suggests that other actors should share the stage with children and animals to include John Malkovich. His slinky, demeanor and overly refined and measured speech makes Moretti a delicious villain. The man steals every single scene that he is in to delicious effect. He also sings three new songs that are all sort of a bop. Who knew he had that talent too?

While waiting for the inevitable demise of the clueless media sycophants there is a lot to enjoy. Edebiri is a magnetic presence on screen and one of unassuming confidence. Lewis’ lanky talk show host character is exactly how you would expect someone of that superficial ilk to be in a strange situation while being plied with booze and luxury.  But the movie belongs to Malkovich. He is at once hilarious and smarmy in the most pretentious and elegant way.

Mark Anthony Green is a voice to keep an ear out for in movies. He has a sharp eye, a good feel for characters and dialogue, and a solid sense of plot. He just needs to throw in a few more curveballs. OPUS is no masterpiece but it is a lot of fun.