The Wasteland Reviewer

Obsession (2026) Written Review

How badly would you want to have love reciprocated by the person you love with all your heart? Most people have probably been in a situation where they have strong romantic feelings towards someone and could not pull the trigger or the situation never worked out for them. This could be a devastating situation especially when you think they are the one. In real life, this chance might never come to pass but in a film like Obsession…you must watch what you ask for. A young man named Bear loves Nikki with all his heart but does not have the courage to pull the trigger. But when “One Wish Willow” appears in front of him in a shop and he gets desperate, he makes the choice, breaks the willow, and makes the wish that Nikki would love him more than anything in the world. That amount of love could be overwhelming…or downright dangerous.

How does writer/editor/director Curry Barker bring this story to life on the page? This film’s biggest advantage is that it has a strongly relatable premise that so many people can connect with. The film has a straight-forward and effective fable type story of “watch what you wish for”. The film also explores the adverse effects our decisions and relationships can have on others. The toxicity of obsessive relationships and unhealthy lack of boundaries makes this such a deeply affecting experience to watch. Barker finds plenty of opportunities to get some laughs along the way too with the film delivering some sharp banter and crazy scenarios. Barker’s writer/director status (as well as editor) allows him to channel all facets of the film to deliver both laughs and scares. The film certainly has some elements and narrative threads that you can come from a mile away, but the execution is certainly there. As the film comes to its climax, there are some shocking and devastating revelations that give Barker’s film such an impactful punctuation. 

What does Barker bring from behind the camera to make Obsession such a powerful experience? The balance between humor and terror is quite special. Barker delivers plenty of humor through a variety of mechanisms. The editing in this film is so sharp and there are plenty of moments where a reaction shot makes for the perfect punch line. There are plenty of moments where Barker leverages awkwardness to capture such a relatable moment of discomfort that you just must laugh. The horror elements of the film are quite impressive too due to the variety of execution. This is not a film that relies solely on jump scares. Barker builds plenty of tension throughout the film with plenty of scenes that are a fever pitch of discomfort and suspense. Barker also leverages some sharp editing for some scary moments (in the same way that some of the laughs work too). There are some interesting auditory scares as well that come out of nowhere and will be having you leap from your seat. The filmmaking is sharp and the visuals are quite dynamic (cinematographer Taylor Clemons certainly frames each shot so intentionally). Composer Rock Burwell shines with some dynamic and rich music that perfectly accentuates each scene in the film. As the film progresses, there are some truly shocking visuals and grotesque body horror along the way. There are a few moments that drag and some slight clunkiness in execution, but Barker does a wonderful job bringing Obsession to life. 

How does the cast bring the experience together? The true star of the film (outside of Barker) is Inde Navarrette. Her performance will go up with so many other amazing actresses who elevate the horror genre. There are so many elements to the character of Nikki that it was a tall order for Navarrette to nail this performance. But she does it with flying colors. Nikki starts as a fun, sarcastic, and energetic young woman who we are not surprised that Bear falls for. But as the film progresses and she is overtaken by this twisted love for Bear, Navarrette must sell a variety of wild facial expressions, unnerving body language, and a whole gambit of emotions. This is one of the most unhinged performances of the year and it is an absolute delight every second that she is one screen. Michael Johnston has an interesting job in the film as he is supposed to be extremely awkward and empathetic while destroying the lives of all his friends through his own desperation and selfishness. Johnston has some great comedic timing and plenty of strong moments of emotion throughout the film. Cooper Tomlinson is the perfect measure of cockiness and sarcastic as Bear’s best friend while Megan Lawless is charming and empathetic as the “other girl” in the scenario.

Is Obsession the horror movie of the year so far? A great year of horror continues because Barker’s film is an absolute delight and barn burner. Navarrette’s leading performance is incredible and never wavers. There are plenty of impressive filmmaking elements thanks to the vision of Barker. Plenty of laughs and terror makes Obsession quite the cinematic experience.