Obsession (2026)
Directed by Curry Barker
[Rated R] 1hr 48min
Horror
★★★★
After being unable to confess his feelings to Nikki and wasting the perfect opportunity to do so, Bear resorts to using a wishing stick to wish that she would love him more than anyone else in the world. Although this gives Bear exactly what he wanted, his life eventually starts to fall apart as he tries to take advantage of his situation but is forced to confront the terrible choices he’s made when it starts to make his life difficult.
This is an incredibly uncomfortable film that explores the abhorrent behavior of men who try to take advantage of women instead of developing genuine connections with them. Despite its jump scares and gory imagery, the true horror in this film comes from the psychological elements that show how men are able to convince themselves that it’s acceptable to treat women this way even when trying to take away their agency. As a result, the film feels extremely distressing from the very beginning where Bear first shows signs of his creepy behavior, and it only increases as the narrative continues to grow in intensity. While Michael Johnston does a fantastic job at selling his character, Inde Navarrette completely steals the show with her terrifying performance as Nikki. Through this multi-layered portrayal, Navarrette is able to convey her character in a very compelling and sympathetic manner while committing the highly destructive behavior that’s out of her control, and the moments where Nikki’s true self seeps through are just as devastating as they are haunting.
I recommend Obsession to anyone who enjoys arthouse horror films that explore important topics in unique ways. This film is very effective at conveying its themes through the horror genre, so it provides an excellent experience that is both disturbing and thought-provoking.
Obsession is now playing in theaters. Click here to watch the Official Trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper