OBEX Review

Most people don't have the time, money, or energy to watch many movies, so when you do get a chance to watch something, you want it to be worthwhile. That's why Rotten Tomatoes exists: to give a snapshot of whether a movie is worth your time. But does it always work? I'll be watching all of Rotten Tomatoes’ Certified Fresh movies from this Wikipedia list, and we'll see if these movies are really worth the hype.

Movie 5 of 2026:

OBEX, directed by Albert Birney, is an indie film that was quite a pleasant surprise for me. I was thoroughly impressed with the inventiveness of the story and how much heart was put into a relatively small production. The director, Albert Birney, also wrote the script and played the lead role of Conor. This definitely felt like a passion project that used horror elements to dive deep into how loneliness and isolation can feel.

Our film starts with a reclusive Conor, whose only friend seems to be his dog, Sandy. Sandy is a very cute dog, by the way. He definitely enjoys his computers and television screens, and shows a lot of talent for technology, especially for someone in the '80s. The film, set in the ‘80s, allows for a distinct style to really shine, while also not weighing the story down with new technology.

Conor becomes interested in a new, highly immersive computer game called OBEX. What seems benign at first turns into a nightmare when the demon from the game kidnaps Sandy. The visuals made the villain feel threatening because something about the static overlay really amped up the horror. In fact, all of the visual effects were great, even if they didn't cost that much compared to big studio films. Sometimes, less is more when building an atmosphere.

The black and white cinematography also really helped establish the tone. Additionally, most of the effects and monster shots looked really cool thanks to that. I particularly loved all of the shots showing the three TVs stacked onto each other in the living room. It was so unique, and I was really impressed with the direction.

This movie truly has style and substance, which I find rare sometimes. There was so much heart and character development, as well as just looking really cool. Movies like this are why I love checking out indie stuff. There is a lot more room to be creative when there isn't a big studio breathing down your neck.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Is it worth the hype?:

Absolutely! This movie has style and scares in droves. It never feels cheap or drawn out, and the visuals are incredibly creative. Give this a shot if you’re looking to support a really great independent horror film.