It’s an all too familiar archetype in modern dating. The lonely “nice guy” yearning for a woman way out of his league. A man who will give his crush everything, despite him not having the slightest understanding of her interiority. It’s a common, surface level love for someone so ostensibly perfect that the thought of them being unattainable is enough to make a person snap.
In Curry Barker’s horror masterpiece “Obsession,” released in theaters on May 15, this feeling pushes its protagonist — a music store employee named Bear (Michael Johnston) — fully over the edge. In a desperate attempt to win over his crush, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), Bear quite literally snaps a “Monkey’s Paw”-esque toy called the “One Wish Willow” in half to grant him his wish for her eternal love.
Much to Bear’s surprise, the toy works and causes Nikki to fall for him. Initially, it seems like a fairytale ending, with the couple being passionate for each other and quickly moving in together. In no time, however, Bear learns that the “One Wish Willow” also has its fair share of side effects. This is most apparent in Nikki’s love for him quickly devolving into obsession, leading to dangerous consequences for everyone involved.
Sharing any more major plot details would be a disservice to everyone involved in the film’s production. From the vaguely ominous marketing campaign to the presence of mysterious “One Wish Willow” vending machines in select cinema lobbies suggests that it’s best to go into this film as blind as possible.
Fingers crossed everyone gets to experience it this way, because much of the film’s tension stems from its subversion of what audiences expect from horror movies. Barker is fully aware of the spooky theatrics commonly found in horror, so he instead went the complete opposite direction with his brilliantly twisted screenplay. It’s a move that feels refreshing and consistently eerie from start to finish.
This sense of dread quickly permeates through the film and seizes each character before, ultimately, going after the audience itself. Barker’s bold creative execution makes for an uncompromisingly intense experience. Each scene has a stifling discomfort juxtaposed with awkward humor, creating a terrifying sense of levity throughout.
Barker’s tonal tightrope act is only one part of what makes this film so special. Another is the staggering talents of Johnston and Navarrette, who are both relatively new to the horror scene. Their awkward chemistry successfully matches the unpleasant vibe the film is aiming for. Johnston contributes by selling Bear’s diffidence without evoking unwarranted pity from the viewer, resulting in a clever, morally gray dissection of male loneliness.
Conversely, Nikki recontextualizes the traditional femme fatale for a Gen Z crowd. Instead of being a villain in Bear’s story, Nikki is portrayed as a victim. Her story arc serves as an allegory for dating and relationship standards imposed against women. This is primarily achieved through the “One Wish Willow,” which raises the question of whether a woman would feel any less trapped in a relationship had she not been under its love spell.
Navarrette’s triumphant performance fleshes out these ideas into a fully realized, spine-tingling scream queen, a new tour de force in horror that is simultaneously charming and nightmarish. While a great breakout role in general, her commitment to amplifying Nikki’s grotesque predicament makes a few scenes in particular nothing short of ill-inducing.
These agonizing measures taken to maintain the film’s singularity is ultimately its greatest strength — from Barker’s uncompromising vision and his stellar lead cast to certain technical aspects like the film’s muted cinematography and moody synth score. Even less noticeable traits, like the intricate sound design for instance, all contribute to creating an intense atmosphere akin to iconic films like “Hereditary” and “Misery.”
“Obsession” will likely stand the test of time in much the same way. Through its deconstruction of supernatural cliches, it makes the most of a premise that is virtually worn to bits. It stands as a true testament to horror’s endurance as a genre, one that is all the more impressive considering its modest budget of $1 million. More than anything else, however, it’s a horror flick that is actually scary and worthy of the immense buzz it has been receiving.
Jacob Bernardino is an Arts & Entertainment Staff Writer. He can be reached at bernarj2@uci.edu
Edited by Travis Foley and Riley Schnittger