Every hopeless romantic has wished for their crush to love them back, but “Obsession” is a bloody reminder to be careful exactly what you wish for. While Hollywood has explored the “be careful what you wish for” concept for years, “Obsession” absolutely nails it. This film is 26-year-old comedian turned director Curry Barker’s theatrical debut, and he provides viewers with an unsettling and frightening experience.
*Some minor spoilers ahead*
“Obsession” follows Bear (Michael Johnston) as he struggles to confess his feelings towards friend and coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette). Instead of simply opening up when given multiple opportunities, Bear holds these feelings in. After purchasing a “One Wish Willow” from a magic shop, he uses it to wish for Nikki to love him more than anything else in the world.
The wish is granted as Nikki instantly flips from the charming friend to an overbearing, possessed lover. Near the start of Nikki’s possession, Bear is somewhat receptive to the immediate love and attention that Nikki brings. However, as the movie progresses and the tension climbs, her madness intensifies. Nikki’s insanity reaches a level that makes you cringe in horror, yet we still see Bear holding on to the fantasy of what the two could be, essentially trapping Nikki in this state. As her erratic behavior heightens, coupled with her alarming suspicion of Sarah (Megan Lawless) and her feelings towards Bear, the ending leaves viewers (including me) speechless. This is one of the few horror films that has done that for me.
In terms of scariness, this movie is exactly what I look for. The scares feel real. Rather than cheap, undeserving jump scares, the film builds in an intensity that looms over viewers for much of the film. Then, at seemingly perfect times, the film somehow still catches viewers off guard for some super memorable and fun scares. This setup allowed for the most unforgettable viewing experience I have had in years, particularly experiencing it in Dolby Cinema. That format really allowed the film’s technical achievements to shine.
Supporting this experience was the cinematography. This was quite possibly the best shot horror film that I have ever seen. The movie is shot in such a way that you feel the cringe portrayed by possessed Nikki…aka “freaky Nikki.” There are distinct differences in how Nikki is shown via lighting and outfit design before the wish versus after. Then, as the movie progresses, the minor details amplify. You notice tiny things that really point to how possessed Nikki really was. A tattoo, necklace, etc., the details are so subtle, but they add a whole other element to the movie.
Coupled with the cinematography, the sound design and score really push the immersiveness in a way that no horror film has done for me before. The ambient tracks, followed by harsh spikes, help emphasize the horror. The setup allows you to feel safe at times…these are often followed by the best scares. This supports what I mentioned earlier about the film seemingly scaring viewers at the perfect times.
Above the cinematography and the sound design, I was most impressed by the acting in this film. Navarrette’s performance as Nikki is Oscar-worthy. Seriously. Her ability to flip from a normal, charming friend to a love-possessed parasite is outstanding. After becoming possessed, we still see glimpses of her previous self at times, and she does a fantastic job of making these glimpses seen and heard. Her facial expressions and body movements become frightening. There are moments in her possession when you see her demonic self trying to act normal. Trying to fit in still. It is noticeable, and it adds an extra layer to the cringe felt in the movie. Beyond Navarrette’s performance, Johnston’s performance as Bear is captivating as well. We see a struggle towards the beginning of the film, as he wants her to love him, but knows that this isn’t true love. Then, as the film progresses, this struggle turns to downright evil as Bear keeps Nikki trapped in this state. Johnston portrays these themes so well. Early on, you feel his struggle, but as the movie progresses, you begin to turn against him. He delivers a performance that causes you to dislike him later on.
If I sat here and said this movie was perfect during my first movie review, I could see how I may lose credibility. But this movie is just about as close to that as you can get. Especially for a horror film with a budget that is under 1 million dollars. This movie is amazing, and nearly-perfect as is. However, if I could wish for one thing that we could’ve seen more of in this movie, it would be the internal struggle Nikki faced. Following the wish, we see her real self a few short times in this movie (while sleeping, and while Bear was on the phone). I personally wish that a little more of this struggle was shown. It would also have been interesting to know what exactly was possessing Nikki; was it a demon? Was her real self stuck inside? Even if it was just subtly, I think some more of this struggle would’ve only made the movie better. On top of that, it would’ve only made Bear look that much worse for trapping Nikki in this state, for his own personal fantasy.
Overall, this movie is outstanding. This film alone will have me in the theater on opening day for any future project of Barker’s. His ability to tell an immersive story that doesn’t rely on overused, beat-down aspects in horror provides such a breath of fresh air for the genre. Barker is leading this “new generation” of horror directors, and I couldn’t be more excited. Storytelling is alive and well, and I believe this generation understands modern audiences better than anyone.
I don’t hand out 5-star reviews often. Although this is my first review, my Letterboxd can attest to that fact. I really do think this movie was that good, though. I left this movie frightened, disturbed, haunted, and just about any other synonym of “scared” and “shocked” that you can come up with. But it was an amazing type of shock that leaves me wanting to see it again.
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