Director – Addison Binek (Psycho Ape, Movies to Watch on a Rainy Afternoon)
Release Date – 2022
Rating – 2.5/5
I get sent a lot of films to review and not all of these films are horror. I initially set up my blog, several years before I was brought onto Horror Society, to review old action and exploitation flicks. However, my love for the genre overtook me and my focus was quickly shifted to horror. That’s why I enjoy randomly reviewing films from other genres as a way to recharge my batteries and see something a little different.
Several weeks back director Addison Binek sent over his newest film Magnum Opus: The .MOVie. This was a film he edited together from footage he shot during his teenage years after filming skits and stunts inspired by Jackass. I did the same thing when I was a teenager so I thought it would be fun to check out. Thanks Addison for sending this one over.
**Spoiler Alert** No real plot to this one. We get some funny stunts and several moments that may have been funny if you were there but they don’t really bring the laughs watching them on the screen. **Spoiler Alert**
Magnum Opus will not be for everyone and Addison knows it. In fact, I had fun with it at times but the overall film wasn’t something I would go out of the way to check out. With that being said, I’m not the intended audience for the film. The stunts performed in this one are sometimes funny while others were just teenagers trying to impress each other. I did the same things when I was that age while trying to be the next Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville. However, it’s not really as fun watching others do it especially when it’s teens just fucking around in their backyards.
The editing in this one is far from perfect but it looks decent considering the source material is from different formats and quality. The transitions are simple and there is no real order to the segments but it definitely draws inspiration from the chaotic formula of Jackass.
Overall, Magnum Opus is going to be for a very few select people but if you love amateur stunts and teenage antics then this one is for you. Honestly, I did laugh a few times and found myself revisiting my childhood doing shit that would get me taken away from my dad now but this one wasn’t for me. Check it out if it sounds like something you would dig.
