Low-Fi Aesthetics With High-Concept Ambitions

Read Time:5 Minute, 15 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Obex
–

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror
Year Released: 2025, Oscilloscope Laboratories 2026
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director(s): Albert Birney
Writer(s): Albert Birney, Pete Ohs
Cast: Albert Birney, Callie Hernandez, Paisley Isaacs, Frank Mosley, Tyler Davis
Where to Watch: opening in select theaters January 9, 2026, with a national expansion to follow. On digital February 6

RAVING REVIEW: OBEX is a unique viewing experience in almost every way. The black-and-white imagery, the deliberate stillness, and the tactile presence of outdated technology all suggest it's not interested in guiding an audience. Instead, it asks for patience, curiosity, and a willingness to sit inside discomfort. Albert Birney has built a career around idiosyncratic, deeply personal projects, and this feels like one of his most distilled expressions yet; intimate, strange, and intentionally alienating in ways that feel purposeful rather than careless.

Set in 1987, OBEX centers on Conor, a man whose life has narrowed down to the walls of his home, the glow of screens, and the companionship of his dog. This is not nostalgia as comfort food. The era is not romanticized as simpler or more comforting, but is framed as isolating in its own way. The hum of early computers, the tactile whirring of VHS tapes, and the silence between interactions all reinforce a life structured around avoidance. Birney is less interested in the mechanics of plot than in how routine calcifies into identity. Conor is not portrayed as tragic in an obvious way; instead, he feels stalled, suspended in a version of life where days repeat.

When the mysterious game OBEX enters the picture, the film shifts without ever fully becoming something else. This is not a conventional descent into fantasy, nor a straightforward allegory about addiction or escapism. The boundary between the real and the artificial erodes slowly, often without clear vision, creating a sense that Conor has not stepped into a new world so much as revealed what was already simmering beneath the surface of his own. The game world itself feels less like an alternate reality and more like an extension of Conor’s inner state; sparse, hostile, and governed by questionable rules.

One of OBEX’s most compelling strengths is its commitment to mood over explanation. Birney trusts images and sound to carry meaning, even when that meaning remains unknown. The cicadas, the repetitive tasks, and the dialogue all contribute to an atmosphere that is oppressive rather than frightening. This isn’t horror driven by shocks or threats, but by the creeping realization that isolation has consequences, and that retreating inward doesn't freeze time the way Conor might hope.

Albert Birney’s performance is key to making this work. Playing a character defined by stillness is a risk, and one that pays off effectively. There is an awkward vulnerability to Conor that resists empathy while still inviting it. His physical presence, slightly off-center, withdrawn, hesitant, communicates more than dialogue ever could. Callie Hernandez provides an important counterbalance, grounding the film whenever she appears. Her performance brings warmth and clarity to a world that otherwise risks becoming sealed off. Frank Mosley, in a more enigmatic role, adds an undercurrent of unease that subtly reshapes how the audience reads Conor’s surroundings.

Where OBEX occasionally struggles is in its emotional accessibility. The film is deliberately slow; there are stretches where the repetition that reinforces Conor’s mental state also tests the viewer’s engagement. While this may be intentional, it creates a distance that some audiences will struggle to bridge. The emotion, though present, remains elusive. The film gestures toward loneliness, grief, and dependency, but often keeps those ideas at arm’s length, prioritizing atmosphere over articulation.

Birney avoids easy conclusions or moralizing, instead allowing ambiguity to linger. The film doesn’t condemn outright, nor does it frame escapism as inherently destructive. Instead, it asks quieter questions about what happens when screens become substitutes for connection, and when safety becomes stagnation. In that sense, the film feels less like a cautionary tale and more like a mirror held at an uncomfortable angle.

The score and sound design further deepen the experience, often working against traditional expectations. Instead of guiding emotional responses, the soundscape frequently unsettles the experience, creating a low-level anxiety that persists even in moments of calm. Silence is used just as effectively, emphasizing the emptiness of Conor’s environment and the isolation he has normalized.

OBEX is precise, insular, and unapologetically strange. For viewers looking for experimental storytelling and mood-driven narratives, it offers a thoughtful, unsettling experience that lingers in the depths of your mind. Birney isn’t inviting everyone in; he’s documenting a state of being, one shaped by solitude, nostalgia, and the seductive pull of controlled worlds.

OBEX stands as a strong, if imperfect, entry filled with ambition and sincerity that outweigh its structural shortcomings, and its commitment to a singular vision is admirable even when it becomes frustrating. This is a film that rewards patience more than enthusiasm, contemplation more than consumption. It remains compelling precisely because it refuses to resolve itself.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of OSCILLOSCOPE LABORATORIES]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.