ONYX THE FORTUITOUS AND THE TALISMAN OF SOULS (Sundance FF2023) – Review by Liz Whittemore
Andrew Bowser wears all the hats as actor-writer-director-producer-editor of his Sundance 2023 Midnight selection Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls. This wildly entertaining throwback brings fantasy, comedy, and horror together for one epically fun film.
Amateur occultist Marcus Trillbury, who chooses to go by the name Onyx the Fortuitous, lives with his mother, flips burgers, and is relentlessly bullied. When he wins the prize of a lifetime, a meeting with his idol Bartok the Great, Onyx’s fate changes. Winning a weeklong retreat in a mansion alongside four other devoted fans, we see that destiny and loyalty come calling.
The dialogue is over-the-top quirky and undeniably hysterical. Teresa Strebler’s production design is straight out of The Addam’s Family, with carved wood, tapestries, antique oddities, and secret passageways. Costumes are vibrant and eye-catching, and the special fx makeup team gives us pure Tim Burton deliciousness. The puppetry reminds me of 80’s Jim Henson creations a la Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls stands shoulders above the tropes it incorporates. Never once did I glance at the time. I sat back, grinned and guffawed with delight.
Jeffrey Combs plays Bartok the Great with ferocious energy, commanding your attention like a real-life version of a cartoon villain. Bowser gives him a fun easter egg. (Any good horror fan will recognize The Damballa Chant immediately.) Melanie Chandra plays Jesminder with a dark and sexy confidence. The disdain in her eyes tells you all you need to know from the moment she appears.
Arden Myrin is Shelley, a hyper-positive widowed Christian who found happiness in Bartok’s dark teachings. Myrin is a riot, from her highly coiffed hair to her bright floral prints, to her overly excitable personality. She is endlessly entertaining.
Terrence ‘T.C.’ Carson is Mr. Duke. His eccentric and studied demeanor plays like a fiddle against the rest of his cast members. I would watch an entire Scooby-Doo-esque spinoff of his research. Rivkah Reyes brings effortless cool-girl energy to Mack. She is so likable, equal parts curious and fearless.
Barbara Crampton makes a brief but unforgettable appliance as Onyx’s mother, Nancy. After Jakob’s Wife, the world witnessed her natural comic timing. Browser keenly harnesses her talents once again.
Olivia Taylor Dudley, who bares a striking resemblance to Patricia Arquette, plays Farrah. Introduced as Bartok’s sidekick, we quickly learn she is an enslaved succubus with more power than anyone else. Dudley is credited with the story and produces the film. Understanding this takes her performance to new heights. I was transfixed whenever she entered the frame. Her emotional investment is crystal clear.
Andrew Bowser’s rhythmic delivery is akin to a coked-up disc jockey with an emotional tick. Onyx has an unusually nuanced backstory that slowly reveals itself. He is endearing, loveable, and entirely one-of-a-kind. This character has existed for years on Bowser’s YouTube channel. Stay for the credits for a peek at his evolution. I beg for more of him in any form.
No doubt this film has mass appeal. It will be a hit with fans of unique genre films like Dave Made A Maze and any adult who grew up consuming 80’s media as a kid. Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls is an ode to fandoms everywhere. It celebrates the weird and wonderful. Sundance 2023 audiences can say, “I saw this when,” because this film will be on everyone’s lips all year. I predict a bidding war and a franchise, and that’s a win for everyone.
