The midnight movie cult has obtained a new sheen. OBEX takes the aesthetics of late-20th-century screen technology combined with modern indie B-movie special effects to create an adventure with horror elements. Its charm comes from the surreality of the special effects and the winking acknowledgement of the tropes of old school computer gaming. Like recent films in the same vein, the film depends upon a shared language with nerdom to elevate its simplistic storytelling into style.
The story itself gains potency from that same simplicity. Conor, a recluse whose life revolves around the televisions and computer monitors scattered throughout his home, has his life challenged by a video game that claims it can place him into the game. Of course, strange and supernatural events occur that blur the line between game and reality. The game becomes a psychological inquiry of what led to Conor’s retreat into media, forcing him to think outside the box of his screens.
While it is charming and small in a YouTube-video-filmed-in-the-woods kind of way, OBEX looks so cute in the far more expressive shadows of those it is compared to. Its cold camerawork, tone setting cuts to fascinating details, and pointed storytelling points feel like a performance of its inspirations without knowing what made Eraserhead or The Legend of Zelda work in their mediums.
Additionally, the film’s story is unemotional and simple, with only the performance of casual personability and deeper trauma exploring truth. Its scrappy special effects make it a worthwhile midnight screening, but the core story lacks tenderness and overly relies on simplistic referencing.
If you’re looking for a video game-inspired midnight romp, seek out Hundreds of Beavers, a better executed example, before you circle back for this lovely but lesser work.
