Director Curry Barker’s micro-budget Obsession has become a massive hit and has rightfully dominated the cultural zetgeist.
What presents itself as an indie horror/thriller about a desperate young man (Bear, played by fresh face Michael Johnston) wishing for his crush (Nikki, played by the sure-to-be next big star Inde Navarrette) to love him, quickly mutates into one of the most poignant takes on modern day relationships.
By forcing Nikki to love him via the help of a supernatural shortcut he bypasses the mutual risk required in real intimacy. Nikki is stripped of her own agency, reduced to a hollow reflection of what her partner thinks he wants. The real horror here isn’t supernatural—it is the chaotic erasure of the self in service of someone else’s wants and needs.
Verdict: Obsession is a deeply necessary mirror held up to modern loneliness and the terrifying lengths to which people will go to avoid being vulnerable.
Watch it in theatres or at home? The nervous energy of slow-burn dread in a dark room with strangers creates a vibe that home viewing simply can’t match.
Rating: 8/10
Image: UPI
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