When I saw the teaser trailer of Obsession (2025) I thought it looked interesting, but that I would probably catch it when it would drop on a streaming service. After watching The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day on the big screen, I realized I truly miss watching movies in the cinema. When I learned that Obsession was still screening at my local cinema, I just had to take the opportunity to watch this movie on the big screen.
Even though I read up on the plot, I did not expect I would find the movie extremely harrowing and thought provoking. So, why did I find myself obsessed after watching it?
WARNING: This post contains spoilers !
Plot
After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win his crush’s heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.
Thoughts
I already had an understanding of the plot while going into the movie and was simply curious how it would unfold. On the surface Obsession seems to be simply leaning into that “be careful what you wish for” trope, even adding the crazy girlfriend into the mix. I can imagine casual moviegoers would enjoy that superficial take. But Obsession has so much more depth, it truly caught me by surprise.
Interestingly Obsession is shot with a very low budget of 750,000 USD. The movie is also written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker. You read that right, that’s one man! I very much appreciate how the movie was shot. I loved the framing, the use of lighting & shadows, and the practical effects. It has great sound design that made the movie even more discomforting.
Even though the movie was brilliantly made with such a small budget, I believe it truly shines in how the story resonates with the viewer. Some people felt Bear was evil, while others felt Bear was the nice guy. There were some “pass the controller” jokes when it came to Nikki, where guys said they could handle a crazy girl like her. While others saw a movie about female autonomy and male selfishness. I don’t want to slide deep into the whole incel, feminist, heteropessimism sides of the debate, but I do think Obsession is much deeper and does touch upon those themes.
Rather than leaning into traditional supernatural lore, Barker wanted to explore the psychological extremes of what happens when someone refuses to handle their own emotional emptiness and instead tries to force another person to fix it. I think it’s important to note that Nikki is not possessed by an entity or a demon. Instead Nikki is replaced by a projection coming from Bear’s wish, trapping the real Nikki somewhere in a dark corner of her consciousness. I noticed some commenters referring to the unhinged Nikki as ‘the entity’ or ‘Wish Nikki’, but I believe that turns it back into a monster flick and severs the tie to the wish made by Bear himself.
I think the most chilling scene in the movie was the sex scene after Bear and Nikki go on a date in the diner. Bear learns that Nikki has lied about her father being ill, that she’s not herself and that his wish might have set Nikki on the path of falling madly in love with him. The scene was a bit frantic, you hear Nikki say she’s enjoying it, but her body and face show the truth. A viewer mentioned that some guys at their screening started to holler during that scene. The audience at my screening consisted of a group of young girls and a few couples, so fortunately we didn’t have to go through an experience like that. Hearing people celebrating that rape scene would have probably made me throw up right then and there. The scene truly sent chills up my spine.
As the movie continued I felt so incredibly sad for Nikki, even if she started acting more and more unhinged. Knowing that the wish had taken away her autonomy and that she was suffering through the whole ordeal. The phone call with customer support and her confession in bed were clear enough. Yet Bear continued being a selfish coward. Viewers might have been rooting for Bear at the start of the movie, but I do think as the movie progressed that he just wanted to hang on to the idea of being in a relationship with Nikki and didn’t truly love her. The ending of the movie was actually super brutal, but also quite perfect.
Verdict
I love that the Obsession (2025) operates on a more psychological level than the basic scary monster movies in the horror genre. Curry Barker has frequently emphasized that the core themes of Obsession revolve around unrequited love, human selfishness, and the dangerous confusion between romance and fixation. It kept me analyzing the movie until long after I watched it on the big screen. I hope those who watch the movie can see past the superficial appeal and are comfortable acknowledging and even discussing the deeper themes. It has become one of my all time favorites and it’s definitely one to watch!
Obsession (2025)
On the surface Obsession seems straightforward, leaning into recognizable tropes. However the movie has so much more depth and is harrowing on a transcended level. A must see movie for horror and non-horror fans alike!
The Good
- Very Thought Provoking
- Masterful Cinematography
- Great Sound Design
The Bad
- A Tad Too Long
- No Suspense
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Plot
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Visuals
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Sound