Obsession: A New Take on Age-Old Themes in Horror

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9 out of 10 One-Wish-Willows

What makes life worth living? The thrill of uncertainty and the surprise of each new day, perhaps. If I were omnipotent, I might find myself quickly bored with my all-knowing nature, leading me to fragment into smaller beings capable of surprising one another. After all, nothing is more exhilarating than not knowing how another person will feel, react, or act. If one can predict every response, they are not engaging with a person but rather a lifeless doll.

And we all know how unexciting that can be. Or so I've heard.

Yet, Bear, a timid music shop employee, succumbs to the temptation of wielding divine power to get exactly what he desires. This is the crux of obsession—whether for something or someone.

Obsession: A Fresh Spin on a Classic Concept

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The film Obsession plays with the familiar “be careful what you wish for” trope, drawing from the classic Monkey's Paw theme. Filmmaker and YouTuber Curry Barker, known for his comedy channel “that’s a bad idea,” manages to breathe new life into these well-trodden ideas.

At its surface, the story appears straightforward: a socially awkward man adores his colleague Nikki but struggles to confess his feelings. He resorts to purchasing a wish wood from an esoteric shop, using it to ignite Nikki's love for him. However, the forced obsession that ensues consumes not only Nikki's heart but also Bear's entire existence.

Upon closer examination, it becomes evident that the true obsession lies with Bear. Throughout the film, the real Nikki attempts to break through to Bear, imploring him, in various degrees of desperation, to end the madness. Yet, the obsessed man lacks the courage to do so.

Obsession is one of those films, akin to Backrooms, that lingers in the mind, continuously revealing new layers of meaning. This depth is attributed to the meticulous detail with which the director crafts each scene, ensuring that nothing seen or said is coincidental. Every clue and reaction illuminates character traits or foreshadows future events.

It seems even the names of the protagonists, Nicki and Bear, have been deliberately chosen, perhaps hinting at a viral internet debate about whether a woman would prefer to be alone in the woods with a man or a bear.

Obsession: A Modern Frankenstein?

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Mary Shelley's classic Gothic novel critiques the hubris of a creator who abandons his creation, transforming from a god-like figure into a devil. Similarly, Bear's journey reflects this theme.

He struggles to care for his cat, which relies on him, and carelessly leaves his sleeping pills within reach, resulting in a tragic accident. Unsurprisingly, he is ill-equipped to care for Nikki, whom he turns into an emotionally dependent puppet. A character from the One Wish Willow hotline even reminds him that he now bears responsibility for the newly created “Freaky” Nikki, yet he lacks the resolve to embrace this duty—even when gifted a symbolic cat's eye stone from Nikki.

The film's true horror does not stem from the increasingly unhinged female golem but from Bear's immature and selfish behavior. His admission of wanting to become a restaurant critic merely to enjoy fine meals without paying encapsulates his character perfectly. He seeks the end result without any effort or accountability.

What a loser.

That said, I can somewhat empathize with him when I consider Nikki’s portrayal. Inde Navarrette is not only stunning but delivers a performance that could easily be Oscar-worthy.

Alongside a few jump scares and splatter moments, it is her embodiment of the manipulated Nikki that carries the film's horror atmosphere. Both Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston deliver outstanding performances.

It comes as no surprise that Obsession, with a modest budget of $750,000, has already grossed over 500 times its production cost. For fans of horror or fantasy horror, Backrooms and Obsession are the must-see films of the year.