Obsession Movie Review:
Curry Barker’s Obsession belongs to a very specific shade of horror. It doesn’t stick to your mind for giving you the scariest jump scares, goriest kills, or imaginative monster designs. More than anything, the film leaves you unsettled for long stretches; that feeling lingers even after the credits roll.
Director: Curry Barker
Cast: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless
Obsession belongs to a new class of horror films that unnerves you by making ordinary people behave in a slightly off-putting yet deeply unsettling way that strikes a big dose of ‘unease’ into your heart. It is the same principle that turns a warm, inviting smile into a creepy gesture when it extends for just a few more seconds. This isn’t new to cinema but is getting increasing (and welcome) prominence in recent horror films. Weapons (2025) is a recent example in which the simple act of children running becomes an unsettling scene because of their slightly unusual movements. Obsession finds many such moments to creep you out.
The film resorts to the mechanics of old dark fairy tales to construct a deceptively simple premise. Baron (Michael Johnston), AKA Bear, is granted one wish, and he uses it to make his long-time friend and colleague Nikki (Inde Navarrette) “love him more than anyone in the world.” And in true fairytale fashion, his wish is granted, but to disastrous consequences. We understand what will unfold from here on out. Nikki is going to become demonically obsessed with Bear, and the excitement lies in waiting to see how far the film pushes boundaries with it. We know she is going to do strange things, like duct-taping a door to stop him from going to work. We know she is probably going to make sick acts of love, especially ones involving his dead cat’s carcass. We know she is going to hurt anybody who gets close to him. We know these in the peripheries, but that does not make the film predictable. Interestingly, whenever we approach one of these predictable elements, the tension heightens, much like a car crash video that raises our pulse. There is something terrifying about the last few seconds right before a strange and chaotic thing is about to happen. Curry Barker has mastered the art of presenting such moments. Filmmakers typically use music or flashy edits to ramp up to such moments, but Barker employs silence and shadows. Some of the most terrifying moments arrive when Nikki is shrouded in darkness, her voice alone leaping out.
Obsession uses sadistic violence in tandem with irony to flesh out comedic moments. They say comedy and tragedy are both different sides of the same coin, but Obsession pushes the boundaries of how far this statement could be true. Some of the most obvious themes explored by the film are ‘careful what you wish for’, ‘Are we looking for love or unbridled devotion?’, and ‘the profound evil of greed’. But the brilliance of Obsession lies in those moments when it explores the character’s inner world through the sudden, shocking choices they make. One chilling moment that demonstrates this is when the real Nikki, trapped inside the obsessive persona, pleads with Baron to kill her. While we have seen Bear being clearly terrified and repulsed by the obsessed Nikki until then, suddenly perks up to ask, “Why? What’s so wrong with being with me?” Bear is not characterised as inherently evil; he is not willfully trying to take advantage of her obsessive persona, nor is he possessed by an evil entity. And yet, even after witnessing terrifyingly demonic things, Baron is still shockingly self-centred. The choices made by the non-possessed Baron shock us as much as the possessed Nikki does. Historically, fairy tales in their original form were said to be dark and violent and were written as cautionary tales for children.
Obsession is a modern, dark fairy tale for adults, especially for an age where human relationships have started mirroring our dopamine-addicted relationship with social media, where attention and constant validation seem to have replaced love and genuine connection.
