Obsession Is the Most Twisted (and Necessary) Thriller of the Year
OBSESSION:
When I made my list of the most anticipated movies I was looking forward to this year, I included only five titles: The Odyssey, Dune: Part III, Digger, Disclosure Day, and Werwulf. There’s always a certain level of hype and excitement surrounding acclaimed directors, and those tend to be the films that dominate the conversation. But while major studios pour massive budgets into their prestige projects, companies like Neon and A24 consistently take over the internet and Film Twitter with original, fresh ideas that capture everyone’s attention—whether through festival buzz, a viral trailer, or pure word of mouth.
I’m not usually a horror fan, but I always give the genre a chance because every once in a while, a movie comes along that reminds you exactly why you fell in love with going to the theater in the first place.
I was skeptical about the intense buzz surrounding Obsession, as I am with most heavily hyped films released each year, but it had me intrigued. We’ve seen countless filmmakers attempt psychological horror only to fall flat, failing to capture the raw, uncomfortable energy of the classics that genuinely subvert expectations. But Curry Barker’s feature debut doesn’t just live up to the hype—it completely obliterates it, delivering a relentless psychological nightmare that will be remembered as one of the year’s standout horror films.
THE SETUP:
Directed by breakout voice Curry Barker, Obsession is a dark, twisted psychological thriller centered on Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a hopeless romantic harboring a massive, unresolved crush on his childhood friend Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette. After another failed attempt to confess his feelings, Bear stumbles into possession of a supernatural entity—the “One Wish Willow”—and makes a desperate wish for her to reciprocate his love. He gets exactly what he asked for, but the dream quickly curdles into a living hell as Nikki’s autonomy is violently stripped away, morphing her affection into a terrifying, malicious fixation that threatens to consume them both.
WHY OBSESSION ACTUALLY WORKS
A great thriller makes you feel the weight of its characters’ choices, and Obsession excels precisely because it traps you within an incredibly intense and deeply uncomfortable relationship dynamic. Rather than relying on cheap scares or familiar tricks, the film dives headfirst into the anxieties of modern dating, control, and the terrifying consequences of toxic entitlement when it’s allowed to flourish unchecked.
The film also delivers a powerhouse performance from Inde Navarrette as Nikki. Her transformation from a carefree, everyday young woman into a chilling, deeply unsettling presence is nothing short of remarkable. She masterfully balances vulnerability and menace, making Nikki both tragic and terrifying. Alongside her, Michael Johnston gives an equally impressive performance as Bear, capturing his character’s escalating cowardice, desperation, and panic with remarkable authenticity. Together, their chemistry grounds the film’s supernatural premise in a visceral and emotionally devastating human tragedy.
Obsession is one of the cleverest, most unsettling, and disturbing horror films in recent memory. The tension is built masterfully through a claustrophobic environment that leaves you feeling completely trapped alongside the characters, immersed in their actions, decisions, and mindset. Somehow, it manages to be hilarious, disturbing, and genuinely nerve-racking all at once. Every sequence escalates naturally from the emotional consequences of the characters’ choices rather than relying on random shocks, making the final act an unforgettable, heart-pounding experience. It’s the kind of movie that leaves an entire theater dead silent long after the credits begin to roll.