Everyone wants to be loved. Few stop to consider what happens when that love becomes all-consuming.
Obsession, the feature film debut from Curry Barker, takes that idea to its terrifying extreme, transforming a familiar romantic trope into a psychological nightmare. The low-budget horror film has been quietly building an audience through word of mouth, thanks to its unsettling premise and strong execution.
The film follows Bear (Michael Johnston), an awkward and introverted music store employee who has harboured feelings for his co-worker and childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) for years. Too shy to confess how he feels, Bear instead places his hopes in a mysterious novelty item known as the One Wish Willow, a supernatural trinket that claims to grant a single wish.
In a moment of frustration and desperation, Bear wishes for Nikki to love him “more than anyone else in the entire world”. At first, the wish appears to work exactly as intended. Nikki becomes affectionate, attentive and deeply devoted to him. For a brief moment, Bear finally gets the relationship he has always imagined.
It doesn't last.
Nikki's affection quickly morphs into something far darker. She becomes possessive, controlling and increasingly violent towards anyone she perceives as a threat to their relationship. As the obsession intensifies, Bear realises that the wish has effectively stripped Nikki of her free will, trapping them both in a nightmare of his own making.
At first glance, the film's title appears to refer to Nikki's obsession with Bear. By the end, however, it becomes clear it's the other way around, with Bear and his inability to let go of the fantasy he has built around Nikki setting everything in motion.
I saw Obsession in a nearly packed cinema and was still left feeling disturbed. While many films fade from memory once the credits roll, this one has lingered, despite it not being a typically scary horror movie.
Barker, who also wrote the screenplay, deserves credit for refusing to let Bear off the hook. While it would have been easy to portray him as an unlucky guy dealing with unrequited love, the film repeatedly reminds us that every horrific event stems from his decision to place his own desires above Nikki's autonomy. The film ultimately makes it clear that Nikki isn't the villain of the story – Bear is.
It's also hard to ignore that the moniker Bear – short for Baron – takes on additional meaning as the story unfolds. Although Barker has said this is coincidental, the nickname feels particularly pointed in the wake of the viral debate asking women whether they would rather encounter a man or a bear in the woods. While Bear initially appears shy and awkward, the film gradually reveals him to be far more dangerous than the animal he's nicknamed after.
The success of Obsession is down to not only its plot, but also the performances.
Johnston is convincing as Bear, showing off his acting chops as he goes from vulnerable to entitled. The character is awkward enough to initially earn sympathy, yet the film gradually exposes the darker impulses lurking beneath. As the story progresses, any compassion for him becomes difficult to maintain.
Navarrette, too, delivers a standout performance. Tasked with transforming Nikki from a grounded young woman into someone increasingly unsettling, she navigates the character's emotional extremes with ease. In several scenes, she shifts from affectionate and vulnerable to possessive and terrifying in a matter of moments, yet never loses sight of the person trapped beneath the obsession.
Barker also shines behind the camera as a first-time feature director. Rather than relying on jump scares, he allows the tension to build gradually, creating a sense of unease I found difficult to shake off even days later.
What makes Obsession so memorable is that, beneath its supernatural premise, is a story about control and consent. Viewers will never stumble across a magical trinket capable of granting their deepest desires. But many will recognise the dangers of obsession, entitlement and mistaking possession for love.
Disturbing, thought-provoking and anchored by excellent performances, Obsession is not only one of the year's best genre releases, but also one of the most memorable films I've seen in recent times.
