Rock operas and concept albums are a time-honored tradition: “Tommy,” “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,” “American Idiot,” you name it. Rock and roll is full of these extravagant, genre-defining works that reach euphoric, theatrical height, and push their listeners and viewers into the stratosphere right alongside them.
“O’Dessa,” the new film from writer/director Geremy Jasper, follows in the footsteps of this tradition, particularly when it comes to David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.” That album follows the story of an androgynous alien rockstar sent to Earth ahead of impending apocalyptic doom. “O’Dessa” is the inverse, set in a post-apocalyptic hellscape and following a young farm girl (Sadie Sink) in search of her precious family heirloom guitar and a way to save everyone from a megomaniacal dictator.
“O’Dessa” might draw inspiration from the likes of David Bowie, but it’s nowhere near as electric. The film lacks the depth and the sparkle of its inspirations, with songs that are merely serviceable and an aesthetic that’s not much more than muddled, steampunk cosplay.
Read Sammie’s full review on Rough Draft
