Mark Anthony Green's "Opus" aims high as a satirical horror-thriller, though the result is inconsistent and struggles to manage its scope. The story focuses on Ariel (Ayo Edebiri), a young reporter who receives an invitation to a remote desert location—the home of a celebrated pop star (John Malkovich) who had disappeared from public view. The film tries to tackle subjects like the worship of celebrities, journalisti…

The film seemed promising initially, and John Malkovich generally excels when portraying unusual characters, but ultimately it feels like an unfinished and somewhat disorganized echo of “Midsommar” and “Ten Little Indians.” He plays “Moretti,” a reclusive pop star who declares after nearly three decades of silence that he’s releasing a comeback album. This news generates considerable excitement within the music busin…