The Wasteland Reviewer

OBEX (2026) Written Review

How far would you go to save your dog? Honestly…for any dog owner, probably to the ends of the Earth! But that is not necessary for this story. OBEX proposes a much more challenging and twisted journey instead. Connor Marsh lives a secluded lift with his beloved dog named Sandy. But one fateful day, his dog goes missing. His quaint, isolated existence changes when he must take the dive into a twisted and wild world inside a video game…OBEX. The lines between reality and this game world are thin and Connor goes on quite a strange and surreal journey, as does the audience. 

How does writer/director/actor Albert Birney bring this strange video game world to life on screen? OBEX is a lower budgeted effort. You can tell that most of these effects and elements are made with practical elements. The visuals are eerie with their low-fi black-and-white cinematography. This visual palette accentuates the two distinct elements of the film. For Connor’s world, it is mundane and grounded, which fits perfectly with what is seemingly bland black-and-white. There are some elements that are quite eerie as the film leans into some insect motifs which give the audience a feeling of crawling skin. But once Connor dives into OBEX, there are plenty of horrors to ensue. You can see homages and motifs borrowed from different films (with Night of the Living Dead being the most impactful and unnerving). There are plenty of terrifying creatures and ghouls along the way which feel uncomfortable tactile…due to the practical effects. There is some impressive religious imagery as well which is terrifying and unnerving for sure. Birney (along with his other directorial efforts) just understands how to build, craft, and sustain vibes. 

Does OBEX deliver on a narrative level as well? One of the biggest challenges of this surreal film is that it has limited narrative structure to build on. The story is as basic as it can be. Man searches for a dog in a strange world. The film is actively attempting to be surreal and abstract which means that not everything is going to come together cleanly. By the time the credits roll on this film, you will most likely struggle to connect with exactly what happened. The film itself feels like a series of strange and abstract vignettes, not unlike stories like Alice in Wonderland. This is just a lot more horrific, unnerving, twisted, and devoid of vibrancy. There are scenes that truly stand out and offer up some thought-provoking and terrifying elements, but the film struggles to come together in a meaningful way. If you are fine with a wild, unhinged ride, OBEX is your vibe. 

What is the grounding element of this entire experience? Birney needs to do some heavy lifting from an acting standpoint to anchor the audience through all of this. From the opening sequence in Connor’s “Kansas”, we see that he is an endearing, kind weirdo who is just living his best life. Birney does a great job of channeling a grounded and mundane existence who will soon become the audience surrogate into this wild world. The amount of reactionary acting that he must do in the face of all these wild entities and scenarios is quite effective. They even do some great make-up and hairstyling work to sell the toll that this whole experience is having on him too. That beard might be as unhinged as the world in the game. Shoutout to Dorothy the Dog as well! Sandy is a good girl. 

Is taking a dive with Connor into OBEX worthwhile? If you are ready for a creative, bold, and crazy ride, this will certainly deliver. Birney shines behind the camera and in front of it as he navigates this strange and wild game world. There are so many interesting and haunting visuals throughout the film, and you can appreciate the craft and commitment behind it. OBEX is on a collision course with cult classic status where it will certainly be appreciated.