Argento's Opera: Giallo Grand Guignol or Just Plain Over the Top?

Okay, so I finally dove into Argento's "Opera" (1987) after meaning to for ages. As a director-focused guy, I've been working my way through his filmography, and after the highs of Suspiria and Deep Red, and the lows of... well, let's not dwell, I was curious where this one would land. The premise is pretty straightforward giallo: stalker obsessed with a young opera singer, offing everyone around her. But Argento throws in these wild stylistic choices. The whole raven imagery with the cgi birds was pretty bad, but the concept was great. The thing is, I'm torn. On one hand, some of the set pieces are genuinely shocking and effectively disturbing. The scene where Betty (Cristina Marsillach) is forced to watch the murders with needles taped under her eyes? Brutal. The cinematography is gorgeous, especially the theatre setting. It's grandiose and claustrophobic all at once. But then, some of the acting is... questionable, and the plot gets pretty convoluted towards the end. Like were some of the decisions characters made logical? No. I think the biggest problem is the tone. It's trying to be genuinely terrifying, but then there are moments that are so over-the-top they border on comedy, like that random fight scene with the dude in the hat and trenchcoat. Honestly the dog scene was also pretty comedic to me. I'm not sure if that was intentional, but it definitely took me out of it. And the killer reveal? It's a bit... underwhelming, especially considering the build-up. Overall, "Opera" is... a mixed bag. It's undeniably Argento, with all the visual flair and gore you'd expect. But it also feels a bit disjointed and uneven. Definitely worth checking out if you're an Argento completist like me, maybe, but don't expect another Suspiria. I'd give it maybe a 6/10? Definitely one of his more interesting ones, even if it's not one of his best. What did you guys think? Am I being too harsh?