I'm Obsessed With "Obsession"

***Author's Note***

No spoilers ahead, I wouldn't want to deter anyone from seeing this film. I just give a brief synopsis of the first 20 minutes or so to set the stage.

***

I honestly wasn't even planning on seeing this movie in theaters. In fact, it was hardly on my radar. I was actually looking forward to seeing the new Backrooms movie (which was awful, save yourself the time and money).

Up until a friend of mine mentioned he was seeing it for the second time because it was so good, in my mind, Obsession had ceased to exist as nothing more than a title floating aimlessly in a sea of lackluster modern horror films.

I vaguely remembered seeing a teaser trailer for it when my partner and I went to see Markiplier's film "Iron Lung," another solid debut horror film from a humble YouTuber that I highly recommend. I knew the teaser had peaked my interest at the time, but I must've been so wrapped up in the film I was at the theater to see I didn't think to research Obsession further.

Looking back, I'm glad it remained a mystery.

I took my friend up on the invite and went to see the film. I nearly face-planted on the escalator up to our theater, but I didn't let a few embarrassing bruises slow me down. We took our seats, passed around the popcorn and settled in as the film began.

Nothing could've prepared us for the gripping, incredibly disturbing and anxiety inducing terror Obsession masterfully delivered.

In a nutshell, the story follows a young man named Bear, who we quickly learn is a hopeless romantic infatuated with a friend of his named Nikki. We witness their awkward interactions in the beginning and Bear's multiple failed attempts to get Nikki alone and tell her how he really feels.

But it's no use.

So Bear makes a wish, using a seemingly harmless novelty trinket called the "One Wish Willow," which he stumbled upon in a spiritual wellness shop and originally intended to gift to Nikki.

After removing the willow branch from its box, Bear takes a deep breath and wishes that Nikki loved him more than anyone in the entire world. To "blow out the candle" and make the wish come true, he snaps the branch in half, thinking nothing of it. Still just a silly little trinket he found in a crystal shop.

But that couldn't have been further from the truth. Take a look at the final trailer linked below to see what I mean.

With that one wish, Bear sets some truly gruesome, twisted events in motion that have undoubtedly given audiences nightmares since the film's release on May 15, 2026. I found myself sitting stone still by the conclusion of the film, silently watching the end credits roll with one question repeating over and over in my mind: What the hell did I just watch?

Apart from Curry Barker's obvious talent for exacting psychological torture on viewers, what really sells the horror is the performances from Michael Johnston (Bear) and Inde Navarrette (Nikki). Especially Inde. At just 25 years old, her breakout role as Nikki has already earned her critical acclaim both here in the U.S. and overseas. I am so excited to see what she does in the future. She is going places!

I am a huge fan of horror movies and have been for the last decade or so. My favorites are those that really take the time to establish the characters and their relationships with each other before weaving in the scares. Films like Hereditary, Midsommar, The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Nope, Us, Get Out, The Descent, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Fly all do this really well.

Good horror films don't make the characters secondary to the horror. The characters are placed front and center, which ultimately draws us in as the audience and lowers our guard. We witness the characters' trauma, insecurities, personalities, interactions with each other and responses to stressful situations, then we can make informed decisions about who we are routing for when the scares start flowing.

Obsession is no different, but you might be surprised who you find yourself routing for by the end of this film. It is a cautionary tale and one we can all relate to: Be careful what you wish for.

As for me, I wish I could go back and see this movie again for the very first time. It is a wildly unpredictable, unsettlingly realistic and chillingly unforgettable ride your instincts will be telling you to ditch, but trust me, remain seated.

Buckle up and experience the sinister horror only the branch of a willow tree could conjure...