Written and directed by leading actor Albert Birney, co-written by Pete Ohs, Conor Marsh’s secluded life disrupted when he plays OBEX game. His dog Sandy disappears, blurring reality and game. Conor enters OBEX world to rescue Sandy, navigating its strange realms. Also starring: Callie Hernandez, Paisley Isaacs, Frank Mosley and Tyler Davis.
There are several strengths of OBEX that are clear right from the beginning, of course the first being its nostalgic quality. The pop-culture references are always a bonus, especially for horror and computing fans. The next being the admiration for Conor’s (Albert Birney) kind of obsessive behaviour and how he weaves technology into his life, something not quite as easy in the era the film is set compared with today. Another, and a particularly key one, is capturing the escapism of video games and movies. That’s something Birney and Ohs do so well, that spirit of losing yourself while gaming and the excitement, passion and enthusiasm that come with it is really at the heart of OBEX. Running alongside side the undeniable, unbreakable love of pets.
Birney is hitting those notes both on a thematic and visual level, the style is old-school mixed with inherently modern American indie. That black and white cinematography hits right on the nose of such an integral part of the independent landscape in the US, it doesn’t always work but it certainly does here. It provides such a great grain and personality to the visual, as well as connecting strongly with the themes of OBEX. That lays the foundation for what becomes the most charming, entertaining element of the film, which is its creativity and ingenuity. It breaks out of its shell in the latter half, creating something that throws so strongly back to the 1980s and a time of practical effects and homemade sets.
The only issue is, it takes a long time to get to that and the scenes preceding that switch up tend to be quite slow and drawn out. They do a good job of establishing the tone and character but then continue to, after the job’s already been done. It’s a shame as it would have been great to spend even more time in the world of OBEX, it changes Conor and allows Albert Birney to get a lot more out of his performance. Especially when it comes to the relationship that he builds with Victor (Frank Mosley), a character who is part man-part television and unexpectedly endearing. The two have an excellent chemistry, it brings through a much appreciated vein of comedy. OBEX really comes into its own as the two meet, and it’s fun to watch.
OBEX has a great foundation, it creates an inventive story of forcing someone to reflect upon their life, the direction and tone are strong, it simply takes too long to get going. The weirder this film gets, the better it is, and that embrace of its oddities doesn’t appear until into the latter half. Once it opens itself up, you see it reach its full potential, and it’s a real shame it didn’t jump into that earlier. However, it’s a surprisingly wholesome flick, at its core it’s a man who loves his dog. It’s got a keen sense of adventure, it’s nostalgic and nicely strange.
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