Where `striking visuals + big ideas + uneven execution = O’Dessa. This is me sitting down with the movie, scratching my head at the ambition, applauding parts that land, and sighing at the ones that don’t. I’d give it a 2 out of 5.
The Concept Looks Good on Paper
Here’s the pitch: in a post-apocalyptic world where a toxic substance called “plazma” has ruined the land, a farm girl named O’Dessa (Sadie Sink) inherits her father’s guitar and goes on a quest to reclaim it, rescue her love Euri (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and topple the tyrant Plutonovich (Murray Bartlett). The film also positions itself as a rock-opera, songs, stylised sets, gender-fluid touches.
I like the idea of mythological roots (this is a take on Orpheus and Eurydice) re-imagined in a wash of neon and folk guitars. The world-building is bold, the visuals often vivid, and the soundtrack tries hard to live up to the “rock opera” billing.
When the Stylised World Works
There are moments where O’Dessa pulses with life. Sadie Sink shows real promise when singing, when she steps into the scene with guitar slung and earnest voice you believe her purpose for a minute. The neon-washed landscapes, the gritty-but-glam set-design, the idea that music might actually be revolutionary: those are fun. The film wears its influences on its sleeve (80s aesthetic, folk roots, dystopic spectacle) and sometimes you revel in the audacity of it.
Euri and O’Dessa’s relationship feels like trying to catch lightning. There’s a spark, there’s longing, there’s the idea of fighting together against the world. When the music hits, when the guitar chords ring out, that’s exactly what you want from this kind of movie.
But the Engine Is Mis-Firing
Here’s where things start going off the rails. The world and the stakes feel murky. We’re told O’Dessa is The One, she must save the world with song and guitar, but we’re not always shown why, with what cost, or with what depth. The romance between O’Dessa and Euri, which should feel epic, too often plays flat. Their chemistry doesn’t consistently hit and their struggles feel shallow rather than gripping. Reviewers have pointed this out: vivid world, weak plot.
The pacing suffers. There are long stretches of setup where you might feel like you’re running in place, and then the film rushes through big events instead of letting them breathe. Some musical numbers feel like music-videos dropped into the story, beautiful in isolation but disruptive overall. The climax, which should feel cathartic, instead fizzles: major stakes, but the emotional hits don’t land as hard as they should.
Then there’s the tonal mash-up: folk + rock opera + dystopia + myth. It’s admirable, but the pieces don’t always fit seamlessly. The ambition is there but the glue is weak. The villainous characters are too broad, the world rules too under-explained, and the message (music as revolution) too thin to carry the runtime.
What I Wish It Did Better
I wanted deeper emotional investment. O’Dessa’s journey could’ve used more internal struggle, more visible transformation. She inherits a guitar, yes but what does it mean to her, beyond the story prop? Euri could’ve been more than the tragic love interest; he could’ve challenged her, grown with her, frightened her. The world around them could’ve felt more lived-in. Some of the supporting roles shine (I’ll give it to Regina Hall as Neon Dion) but they’re not enough to anchor what’s otherwise drifting.
I also wish the music, while bold, had more staying power. If you’re going to build a rock opera, you want songs that you remember long after the credits roll here, I found myself humming guitar riffs for a bit, but not really remembering the melodies days later.
Final Reflections: A Swing That Didn’t Quite Connect
O’Dessa is a wild ride. It’s courageous, visually imaginative and offers something you don’t see every day: a post-apocalyptic musical with a cornball myth core and a feminist, queer-friendly vibe. Those are big ticks. But big ticks don’t always make a good film. This one has the style fix but the heart and cohesion miss.
So if you ask me whether you should watch it: sure if you’re in the mood for something weird, music-filled, and visually wild, you may enjoy it for the ride. But don’t expect everything to click. The movie overreaches, tries to juggle a lot, and ends up fatigued by its own ambition.
On the 1–5 scale, it settles at 2 out of 5. A lot of respect for the creative leap. A lot of disappointment at where it lands. If you like your film experiments messy, loud and full of ideas, you might find a cult-gem here. But if you value clarity, pace and emotional resonance, you’ll find plenty to be frustrated by.