By: Francesco DeFiore
Obsession is easily the most talked about horror movie of the summer. When it hit theaters this May it unexpectedly was a critical and commercial success, breaking box office records and becoming the fifth highest grossing horror movie of all time.
Everybody was instantly obsessed with this film and it became a cultural phenomenon. Unfortunately I didn’t get to experience it in theaters when it released. Since, so many people were raving about it, I had to check it out for myself. So I finally got the chance to sit down and watch it at home and OMG was everyone right. Obsession is easily the movie of the year and now my favorite horror film of all time!!!
It slaps and I have so much to talk about.
First off, I’m not crazy for horror films. Most of them usually aren’t that scary and reuse the same tropes over and over, so that genre of film has gotten boring and stale for me over time.
Obsession, though, is genuinely terrifying. I watched the movie with my mother in our living room very late at night, which made the movie all the more scary. But I’m not lying to you when I say my mother and I had a really hard time getting through the film. I’m not saying the film was bad by any means, it’s far from it, but the level of discomfort that this film gave us was seriously unprecedented. Now, the film does use the same familiar tropes that I’ve seen in a lot of horror films, but what makes it stand out on its own is that it just executes it differently. Instead of relying on jump scares to make the film scary like most horror movies do, it instead uses its atmosphere to set the tone. Every scene in this film is dark, twisted and grotesque. Unlike most horror films, Obsession is filled to the brim with dark humor. Most of the scenes in this film make you want to laugh while also making you feel disturbed out of your mind. And most importantly, throughout the entire film, there is just a feeling of a sense of dread that truly never leaves you.
The story in this film is something I’m pretty sure everyone has seen before. It’s your typical “be careful what you wish for” type of movie. But, in my opinion, this film is probably the best use of that concept that I have ever seen. Director Curry Barker seriously goes all out with the concept in this film and doesn’t pull his punches. In the film, we follow Bear, who makes a wish from a one-wish willow for his crush, Nikki, to love him more than anyone in the world, and it works.
Nikki becomes obsessed with Bear and throughout the film we see the ramifications of Bear’s wish to the fullest extent. And trust me this film does not hold back. The things that go down in this movie are absolutely horrifying.
Now to the performances. Easily, the standout performance in this movie is Inde Navarette as Nikki. Before I saw the movie I didn’t know who Navarette was, but all I kept hearing on social media was the buzz surrounding her performance in the film. So obviously I had to watch Obsession for myself to see what the hype was all about. And, my God, after watching the film I was truly at a loss for words. Navarette gave one of the greatest performances I have ever seen put to film. The way she portrays Nikki in this film is extraordinary.
Obviously in the film due to Bear’s wish for her to love him, she becomes consumed by the wish, which ultimately ends up distorting her personality and behavior, and amplifies her attraction to bear to a violent and obsessive extent. She ultimately becomes what the film refers to her as “Wish Nikki”. But under this new persona the real Nikki is still there but trapped, and throughout the film we see both personalities fighting for control.
The things Nikki does in this movie while under the wish’s influence are truly unsettling and down right terrifying. The way Navarrete was able to pull off going from the kind and easygoing “Real Nikki” to the manipulative and obsessive “Wish Nikki” is truly astonishing. But what makes her performance even better in my eyes is that even though Nikki is the villain of the movie, in reality she is just a victim to the wish which she never asked for. She is a victim of Bear’s manipulation and abuse and her fate at the end of the film is ultimately very tragic. I like a villain that I can feel for and relate to. It just shows that Nikki is just as human as anyone else, even under the wish’s spell. Her story really emphasizes the film’s themes of control and obsession, hence the name of the movie. And Navarette plays this role to utter perfection. Mind you this was Navarette’s first breakout role.
But now after the hit that Obsession was and her amazing performance, her career is skyrocketing. She is so popular that she immediately landed the role of Rogue in Marvel’s new X-Men reboot. She is officially an X-MEN!!! Now her team is campaining for her to be nominated for best actress at next year’s 99th Academy Awards, and in my opinion she’s got it in the bag.
Her performance in Obsession was truly Oscar-worthy. And now she is a horror icon. I am so happy for her and she has such a bright future ahead of her.
Obviously we can’t talk about Nikki without talking about Bear played by Micahel Johnston. Johnston is fantastic as bear in the movie. Just like NIkki, Bear is also a very relatable character in the sense that his fixation, emotional vulnerability, and inner conflicts mirror real life feelings, especially mine for example. We are meant to believe that he is the protagonist when in reality he is the villain due to his selfishness and manipulative behavior seen throughout the film.
Firstly, he is the catalyst of all the events that go down throughout the movie. He literally makes a wish that forcibly strips Nikki of all of her free will, just so she can love him back. And the things he does to Nikki are all non consensual, at least without the consent from the “Real Nikki”. In the film the “Real Nikki” takes control and asks Bear to kill her and end her suffering, but Bear selfishly responds by saying “What’s so bad about being with me?” And at the end of the film when Nikki’s “real” self breaks free from the curse, she is ultimately left to suffer the consequences of Bear’s actions. It’s sickening, disturbing, and if you still don’t think Bear is the real villain, I don’t know what to tell you. It’s a really neat twist in the movie and Johnston crushed the role.
Another thing I loved about Obsession was its cinematography and how it really set the tone of the film. There is a heavy use of lighting and shadows in this film and I think it worked in the movie’s favor because it gave off an ominous sense of dread. It really created a horror aesthetic that matches the film’s intense and obsessive theme.
The movie’s score is also phenomenal. It is an amazing blend of love and horror that really suits the movie well. It’s very romantic while also very unsettling, and at times even emotional. And after watching the film, I just can’t stop listening to the soundtrack. I believe the reason behind this movie’s success really boils down to a few things.
Firstly, it’s a low budget indie film. It being a low budget film allowed there to be zero studio interference which most high budget major blockbusters don’t have. This let the writers and director of the film have more creative freedom when making the movie. Plus, since it’s a low budget film, there is lower pressure for it to turn a profit unlike high budget films which demand more money to break even. They even decided to go with a No-name cast for the movie instead of expensive leads which benefited the movie significantly.
Secondly, is its targeted audience. This film is directly targeted towards Gen Z. The film deals with a lot of issues that the youth of Gen Z face such as dating anxiety, codependency, rejection and many more. This allows a majority of the audience to resonate and relate with the film. I especially am one of those people.
Lastly, it’s a horror film. Horror films generally do very well at the box office year- round. People go crazy for these types of movies and Obsession was no exception. It made over $516 million worldwide during its theatrical run, broke so many records, and became one of the most profitable independent horror releases in box office history. And, obviously, word of mouth for the film was positively through the roof, making the film an overnight internet and a box office sensation.
Overall, Obsession is truly a horror masterpiece. It is monumental, easily the film of the year, and one of the greatest horror films of all time. It has proven that low budget indie films can rival high budget major blockbusters. And it is the definition of what modern horror should be and has seriously changed the game forever.
