Hi all!
Today I am reviewing new-release, horror: Obsession. It hit cinemas this month, allowing me the opportunity of seeing it on the big screen. Bear, a hopeless romantic, uses a mystical ‘One Wish Willow‘ to make his longtime friend, Nikki, fall in love with him, resulting in horrifying and deadly consequences. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Note: This post is in partnership with JustWatch.
WHAT WORKED:
I expected this film to knock my socks off and it did not disappoint! I had such a visceral cinema viewing experience. The physical performance from Inde Navarrette was outstanding. My eyes followed her every movement on screen. There were many ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ peculiar motions, eerie shadow-play and twisted facial expressions emanating from our lead. She carried this movie and I just hope Obsession catapaults her acting career into the stratosphere. Despite the basic plotline, there is a real depth to it; an ethical dilemma. Did Bear force Nikki to love him against her will? Without spoiling anything, those questions are answered; changing the perception of who we, as an audience, should have empathy for. Speaking of, I want to touch on Bear (Michael Johnston). He was a pathetic loser but played extremely well. His ‘villainy’ was not overt. It was nuanced. No sane person would ever expect a.) a wish to work but b.) it work a little too well. And yet, it does. After it is enacted, his character takes a darker turn. There are layers to his selfishness. It may take multiple watches but it is there. Lastly, what really stood out to me was how effective the horror was. Curry Barker does not deliver your typical jump scares. He uses subtle camerawork, droning sounds and panning shots to drum up the tension and dread. Tell me how a shower turning off can raise the hairs on the back of my neck? I was genuinely scared – and that’s a rarity nowadays. No wonder this film is breaking box-office records. Not only is it nightmare fuel, it has so much to offer every single time it is revisited. That’s what I call a timeless classic.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK:
Obsession has a very simple premise. If you’re expecting a wholly original concept, you’re not going to get it. However, you’ve never seen the ‘careful what you wish for’ trope turned up to 1,000 in quite this way. You can do a lot with a smaller budget – I guarantee that!
OVERALL STAR RATING:
I gave it 5/5 stars! One of the best horror movies of the last decade – no joke!
Have you seen Obsession? What did you think of it?
Peace & Love xoxo
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