Obsession
Rating – 4/4
**SPOILERS**
Be careful what you wish for. You may get it!
And holy shit! Does Bear (Michael Johnston) ever get it in one of the best horror movies of the year and one of the best I’ve ever seen. Something so simple can cause such massive consequences for all those involved. Call it karma. Call it consequences. I’m calling it utterly terrifying.
First off: I wanted to see this movie in theaters with my friends. Unfortunately, I got dragged to see Scary Movie 6 and witnessed its dumb, overly-saturated pop-culture referenced, politically incorrect, stupidity (although I admit, it was funny and had a good time for the all wrong reasons). So, I finally was able to borrow the movie on DVD because everyone was talking about it.
“Hey Dillon, have you seen Obsession?”
“Dude, you need to see Obsession?”
Well, I finally did…and I loved it.
It is one of the best horror movies of all time, and I was on the edge of my seat while watching it. I am not exaggerating.
Bear, a lonely, awkward man, harbors romantic feelings for his friend, Nikki (Inde Navarrette). Unable to confess his feelings, he buys a One Wish Willow, an object that is said grant a person any wish they desire. His wish: for Nikki to love him more than anything.
And it works.
After some initial hesitation, they begin dating happily.
But then, things begin to go wrong. Nikki is no longer herself. She refuses to leave his side, demands he give her his full attention, and displays strange and unsettling behavior, from duct taping his door to keep him inside with her, and to bouts of sudden psychotic breaks when she perceives any ounce of him not loving her.
In other words, Nikki is now obsessed with Bear to an unhealthy degree. Something about that One Wish Willow has put Nikki under a spell that she can’t break free from without severe consequences. And neither can Bear easily get out of it. And pain and suffering follow both of them in their relationship that neither was ready for.
The best performance by far is Inde Navarrette as Nikki. Forget Robert Patrick as the T-1000 or James McAvoy from Split, it’s her transformations through her subtle or obvious actions and her facial expressions that show off her range. Yes, some could be passed off as unintentionally hilarious...but it’s not. It’s unsettling and childlike, almost like an alien or a demon trying to act human and failing. But most disturbing of all, Freaky Nikki, as she’s called, doesn’t care. Blood, killing, or self-harm, she’ll go to anything lengths to have her Bear.
But when the few moments come around where the real Nikki is able to break free of her possession, it’s just heartbreaking. She’s begging to be released from her prison and wants nothing more than for her suffering to end, even if it means death. With few words and actions, Navarrette can go from chilling, to downright tearjerking.
Navarrette’s performance shows there is so much talent out there that unfortunately goes unnoticed and shows that many people deserve a chance. You just need to find it. I’d never heard of her until I watched this movie.
However, while watching this movie, the real obsessed one is not Nikki, but Bear. Clearly, he wanted Nikki to be his girlfriend and to love him, but as things go from bad to worse, the less he does to try and get out of it. He’s a selfish, greedy, possessive villain who wants to control Nikki and take advantage (if you know what I mean) of her as she’s under the spell, even when he finds out the true consequences.
Why should he give up his prize?
“What’s so bad about being with me,” he asks, knowing Nikki is clearly suffering and no longer herself. Actions speak louder than words, or rather, his lack of actions speak very loudly.
Bear is the real villain in this story, and yet, he’s also sympathetic because he never truly wanted to be. He was unaware of just how bad things would get, but then proceeded to do nothing to stop the mess he created. Silence and inaction are his complicity.
This is why Obsession is so good. It’s a simple premise about an abusive relationship, mixed with supernatural and claustrophobic spice. In every scene, you wonder how Nikki may react, but you also wonder how Bear with react. You feel their emotions and you feel their desperation to hang on to their control of their lives. Bear wants Nikki in his life by any means, and Nikki just wants her life back. You don’t need big special effects or a convoluted plot to be effective. Sometimes, simple is better and something like Obsession could be applied to the horrors of everyday life.
And the craziest part: both could’ve avoided this fiasco entirely had they just talked about their feelings. It was clear that there was at least some interest between both of them, so something could’ve happened. Maybe they could’ve dated. Maybe they were better off as friends. Who knows? It just shows that healthy relationships, either romantic or not, require healthy communication, not cursed wishing objects.
And from a filmmaker’s perspective, Obsession is a great example of low-budget filmmaking. You don’t need millions of dollars, big name actors, or massive set pieces. You just need good actors, a good script, and dedication behind your passion. Besides Navarrette, I’m excited to see what else director Curry Barker has planned in his filmography as an up-and-coming horror creator.
For my wish, I wish you would watch Obsession. Don’t worry, I won’t use a One Wish Willow. It’s a tense and terrifying film that shows how too much can be a bad thing. So, next time you wish upon a star, or blow out your candles on your birthday cake, or pull a wishbone on Thanksgiving, be careful. You just might get it. We, however, got one of the best horror movies and that’s something I’m glad came true.
