Spoilers ahead for Opus
Opus is A24's latest installment that hit theaters this week. The new horror teased many eyebrow-raising scenes in the trailer. Many of those scenes revolved around John Malkovich and his eccentric character Alfred Moretti.
Alfred Moretti is a pop sensation and has teased his come back after 30 years. Moretti announces his return with a new album that will change the music industry forever. Ariel (Ayo Edebiri) is one of the select few who has been invited to Moretti's secret oasis where they will be the first to experience the new album. Ariel is invited alongside her editor, a paparazzo, an influencer, a talk show host, and an old rival.
Upon arriving to the compound Ariel can immediately tell something is amiss. The other guests are clueless and only care to be apart of pop history. Moretti and the people living within the compound are seemingly part of a cult and monitor every move Ariel and the guests make. As Ariel spends more and more time with them she realizes they're all apart of a bigger scheme.
The movie falls a little flat in comparison to movies like Midsommar and Get Out who took the premise and actually did something original. Opus is all bark with little to no bite, but there are a few shining scenes that I found disturbing. This list is in no particular order just scenes that really stuck with me.
1. Breaking the bread
On the first night of their arrival, Moretti's guests are invited to dine with him and his followers. Before they receive their meals, a single loaf of bread is passed around for everyone to take one bite. Ariel is the only one disturbed by this and she is one of the last to take a bite from the spit covered bread. The scene is disgusting, watching everyone take a bite from the same piece and seeing the spit trails is stomach turning.
2. Moretti's riff
Moretti is the best part of the movie because of his eccentric nature, he really is a captivating character. Before dinner one night, he walks into the room seemingly crying before he starts riffing a goofy story that riles up his followers with responses like yay or boo. The scene isn't visually disturbing but raises the hair on your neck due to the unsettling relationship between the cultists.
3. Stuffed like a Dobermann
Moretti's rival, Bill, is the first member to be picked off. The rivalry seemed to be water under the bridge after Bill made fun of Moretti for stuffing his Dobermann. The comment is a clue to Bill's demise but isn't revealed until close to the end. Ariel finds Bill's head mounted on Moretti's walls with a look of horror on his face. The scene is slightly comical but also a little disturbing given the nature of how he died.
4. The Tragedy of Billie
Ariel attempts to leave the compound but is stopped by one of the children saying she can't leave until the puppet play is over. Ariel is obviously on edge and knows something sinister is happening but can't leave until the bus comes for her. The Tragedy of Billie is an unsettling play about a pop singer and the hounding of journalists, paparazzi, and fans. The disturbing part is the puppets as they look like decaying rats and promote a looming sense of danger to the rest of the guests.
5. Blowing up like a balloon
The influencer, Emily, disappears after a private song. She appears to have an allergic reaction. Ariel questions her whereabouts until she emerges from a bean bag right after the play. Emily looks unrecognizable as her face is entirely swollen. Her tongue is sticking out of her mouth and her eyes are swollen shut. The sight is ghastly but the worst part is when Moretti is squeezing her eye and pus comes squirting out hitting him right in the face.
6. Wig scalping
Another scene after The Tragedy of Billie is when the rest of the members realize they are going to die at the hands of the cult. The TV show host Clara (Juliette Lewis) is known for wearing wigs and hers is put on way too tight. One of the cult members drags her by the hair and her scalp begins to separate from the wig. The scene is goosebump-inducing and made me want to look away from the screen.
7. Belle's rage
Belle is Ariel's concierge who is by her side 24/7. Belle is a menacing character who never smiles and is willing to hurt anyone in the name of Moretti. Once the chaos ensues, Belle is more than happy to pick off the guests one by one. She gleefully stabs Bianca over and over until she seems satisfied. Belle hunts down Ariel and shows no remorse as she tries to kill her too, she is ruthless and more than a little scary. Her character was very interesting and disturbing in the lengths she would go to to preserve her leader.