I lastly obtained round to seeing the horror movie Obsession with my spouse, and good lord, I used to be not mentally ready for what this film was about to do to me.
I saved listening to individuals speak about how nice it was, how disturbing it was, the way it was probably the greatest horror films of the yr, and I figured, alright cool, let’s see what all of the hype is about.
I anticipated a movie that was creepy and intense. What I didn’t anticipate was to stroll right into a full-blown psychological nightmare that felt like getting trapped inside anyone else’s poisonous relationship whereas their interior demons are chewing by means of the partitions. This film is completely insane in the perfect and worst methods potential.
The wild factor is that Obsession truly begins off fairly charming. It eases you in with this awkward romantic setup involving Bear, a painfully shy music retailer worker who’s been secretly in love together with his good friend Nikki for years.
When he will get his fingers on a supernatural object referred to as the “One Want Willow” and desires for Nikki to like him greater than anything on this planet, you already know issues are going to go sideways.
This factor slowly tightens round your neck after which out of the blue begins squeezing like a maniac. As soon as the horror totally kicks in, the film transforms into this grotesque spiral of supernatural chaos, emotional destruction, and brutal physique horror that had me staring on the display considering, “What within the hell am I watching proper now?”
Additionally, my spouse saved side-eyeing me by means of the second half of the movie clearly questioning why I might take her to such a brutally insane horror film.
What makes the film work so effectively is that it isn’t simply throwing gore and soar scares on the viewers each 5 minutes. The writing and appearing truly pulls you into these characters. Bear is pathetic in a painfully human method, and Nikki turns into this horrifying reflection of obsessive love taken to its absolute breaking level.
The film takes the entire “cautious what you want for” idea and mutates it into one thing insanely uncomfortable. There have been moments the place I genuinely felt anxious watching it as a result of it hits on emotional dependency and loneliness in such a uncooked method.
Then out of the blue anyone’s face is getting smashed and mangled and blood is spraying in all places. The tonal whiplash in some way works. It’s disturbing, humorous, tragic, gross, and weirdly heartbreaking .
I’ve obtained to speak about Inde Navarrette as a result of her efficiency is unreal. She fully throws herself into this position of Nikki in a method that feels fearless and she’s going to make your pores and skin crawl. There are scenes the place she goes from lovable and candy to deeply terrifying inside seconds, and each twitch, stare, motion, and emotional breakdown feels fully dedicated.
You may inform why individuals are calling this a star-making efficiency as a result of she completely owns this film. Even when the movie goes fully off the rails into full nightmare territory, she in some way retains it grounded emotionally. Actually, I don’t suppose the film would’ve labored practically as effectively with out her going this difficult.
After which there’s director Curry Barker, who clearly understands tips on how to stage horror in a method that will get underneath your pores and skin. Some horror administrators rely an excessive amount of on low-cost shocks, however Barker is aware of tips on how to create lingering discomfort.
There are scenes on this film that simply sit there and marinate in pure dread till you’re feeling trapped in them. Then he flips the swap and unleashes complete bloody insanity. The film will get nasty. Like significantly nasty.
There have been moments the place the viewers in my theater gave the impression of they collectively wished to crawl underneath their seats. On the similar time, Barker injects this darkly comedic power all through the movie that retains it from changing into emotionally exhausting. It’s virtually like watching a deranged anti-romantic comedy get possessed by evil spirits.
What actually shocked me is how relatable a number of the awkward social moments felt at first descended into hell. The dialogue and interactions have this grounded realism that makes the horror land even tougher later.
You purchase into the loneliness. You perceive the desperation. Then the film weaponizes these feelings towards you. That’s what caught with me afterward. Beneath all of the supernatural madness and grotesque horror imagery, Obsession is basically about emotional possession, unhealthy attachment, and the terrifying should be liked irrespective of the price.
It takes themes individuals truly take care of and drags them into this horrifying fantasy nightmare. That’s why it lingers in your mind.
I additionally love that the film isn’t afraid to get bizarre. Horror films generally play issues too secure as a result of they need broad enchantment, however this factor totally commits to its insanity. There are parts in Obsession that made me snigger out loud merely due to how absurdly uncomfortable they had been, after which seconds later I’d really feel responsible for laughing as a result of the film out of the blue turns into horrifying once more.
The film continually retains you off steadiness. One minute it looks like a twisted rom-com and the following minute it looks like a demonic panic assault. The transitions shouldn’t work, however they completely do.
By the tip of the film, I felt like I’d survived one thing. I liked it, however I additionally sort of hated how efficient it was. It’s a kind of horror films that crawls into your head and refuses to go away. I actually can’t cease serious about sure scene and I hope they aren’t burned into my mind without end.
For those who’re a horror fan on the lookout for one thing secure and comfy, this ain’t it. However if you’d like a horror film that swings for the fences, punches you within the face emotionally, drenches itself in supernatural madness, and leaves you sitting in silence afterward questioning what the hell simply occurred, then Obsession completely delivers.
This film is darkish, brutal, hilarious, upsetting, and fully unforgettable. I had an superior time watching it, even whereas it was making me depressing. That’s horror magic proper there.
