Obsession (2026) Dir Curry Barker, Universal Pictures ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by Matthew Alicoon

Obsession (2026)

Dir Curry Barker

Universal Pictures

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by Matthew Alicoon

Running Time: 109 Minutes

“A vicious and psychologically complex tale of obsessiveness, control and the destruction of agency.”

Obsession follows Bear (Michael Johnston), a music store employer who buys a supernatural toy called “One Wish Willow”. Bear breaks the toy and his wish is granted for which is for his crush to fall in love with him. However, she becomes incredibly obsessed with him.

I was deliberately reluctant to revisit Obsession, partially as my first viewing left me caught between admiration and disappointment. The film was technically stunning, Inde Navarette was extraordinary and the final act had left my jaw on the floor. However, I could not quite understand the level of adoration and praise surrounding it. Looking back on Obsession, I think I was watching the film from the wrong perspective the first time. A difficult audience experience certainly impacted my first reaction. On second viewing, I approached Obsession expecting its complexity to announce itself immediately. A second viewing, this time through Bear’s perspective, completely changed the perspective of events. The same film was suddenly revealing something far more disturbing about control, coercion, the destruction of ownership.

There is so much to admire about the technicality behind Obsession. Curry Barker demonstrates a remarkably assured command of the horror genre, with the camera adopting an almost surveillance-like quality that makes the relationship feel as though it is constantly being observed from an uncomfortable distance. Barker also understands the value of unpredictability, allowing seemingly ordinary moments to become increasingly sinister. The party sequence, the bedroom scenes, Nikki walking a certain direction and particularly the car sequence all possess an unnerving physicality.

Inde Navarette is simply astonishing as Nikki, delivering a powerhouse performance that is monstrous, chaotic and yet strangely heartbreaking. Her physicality and collection of mannerisms create the unsettling impression of watching somebody gradually become something beyond comprehension. Michael Johnston is equally impressive in a much quieter role, with his subdued performance making Bear increasingly disturbing precisely because of how controlled and initially calm he appears. His desperation to remain in control becomes terrifying when placed alongside Nikki’s systematic dismantling of his agency.

The film's central examination of control within relationships consequently became more apparent on a second viewing. Bear always wants to possess the upper hand, yet the One Wish Willow transforms that desire into something psychologically grotesque. What initially appeared to be a series of increasingly outrageous horror set pieces now feels considerably more purposeful, with the film turning the dynamics of a relationship into something genuinely threatening. This is not a date movie. There is considerably more horror and atmospheric tension than I initially recognised. Obsession’s violence is certainly memorable, but its most disturbing quality lies in the gradual destruction of agency and ownership.

My reservations, however still remain. I still do not think Obsession is a masterpiece, and its biggest weakness is how quickly it decides to play its hand. The moment Bear breaks the One Wish Willow in the car; the film essentially announces that the Nikki we knew is gone. I wish that transformation had been allowed to emerge far more gradually, with the moment arriving considerably later and the audience given more opportunity to question what was actually happening. The montage of Bear and Nikki’s life together still feels oddly positioned, particularly considering the consequences of the wish. I cannot help wondering how extraordinary this film could have been if the deterioration of their relationship had unfolded across several years, allowing the manipulation to become increasingly imperceptible rather than immediately escalating into horror.

Yet that is precisely why the second viewing mattered. Obsession has not suddenly become flawless; rather, it has become considerably more comprehensible. The things I initially regarded as excessive now reveal a greater thematic purpose, while the relationship between Bear and Nikki feels considerably more psychologically complex than I first thought. Therefore, I am still not quite boarding the Obsession masterpiece train, but I finally understand why so many people were already on it. The film's brilliance lies in its ability to make you reconsider who is actually being victimised, who possesses agency and whether either character ever truly had control. Inde Navarette remains a force of nature, but the second viewing has transformed Obsession from a film I admired considerably into one I now find genuinely difficult to stop thinking about.

Cast

Michael Johnston     -           Bear

Inde Navarrette        -           Nikki

Cooper Tomlinson    -           Ian

Megan Lawless        -           Sarah

Andy Richter             -           Carter

Haley Fitzgerald       -           Viola

Darin Toonder           -           Harry

Crew

Director                      -           Curry Barker

Writer                         -           Curry Barker

Producers                  -           James Harris, Haley Nicole Johnson, ChrIstian Mercuri & Roman Viaris