Obsession review (2026)
Obsession easily stands out as one of the best thriller horror films this decade as it’s genuinely thrilling and terrifying in its exploration of love and obsession.
Bear (Michael Johnston, X-Men ’97) has been harboring a crush on his friend, Nikki (Inde Navarrette, Superman and Lois), for years. He’s been reluctant to get out of the friend zone in part because he doesn’t want to ruin the dynamic of their friend group with Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless, Table 19).
Maybe a part of Bear is afraid to know how Nikki actually feels about him for better or worse? It’s easier to sit and bask in the radiance of his idealized version of Nikki from a close distance than to know she just views him as a friend or the warts that come with actually being in a relationship with someone.
When Nikki announces she’s set to quit the slow-paced retail job the four work at, Bear realizes his time is running out to let his feelings be known. On a lark, he stops by a store to replace a crystal she lost and instead gets a One Wish Willow for her. The very distracted store clerk (Haley Fitzgerald) casually mentions that some customers have wanted a refund over the wish not working properly. Or that it’s just a collectible and doesn’t actually grant a wish at all.
Ian is actively against Bear telling Nikki how he feels during trivia night while Nikki is curious if Bear has any feelings for Sarah. Frustrated that he didn’t just open up after being given a perfect opportunity, Bear uses the One Wish Willow himself casually requesting that Nikki loved him more than anyone else in the world.
It’s a throwaway wish, one that Bear doesn’t even believe would come true, until it does and Nikki goes from being this vivacious presence in his life to an obsessed, possessive and overly clingy girlfriend.
Director/writer Curry Barker wonderfully lays out the opening act and only makes the film more engaging by the second act when Nikki’s actions start jeopardizing both Nikki and Bear’s lives.
To some viewers, the premise of Obsession sounds very familiar to the memorable Loved to Death episode of Tales from the Crypt (check out the full series on DVD at Amazon) starring Andrew McCarthy and Mariel Hemingway. Obsession is somewhat different in the sense that Bear isn’t acting out of some calculated measure to steal the love of the woman he desires.
MORE:
- Fuze review (2026)
- Normal review (2026)
- How to Make a Killing review (2026)
- Marvel Legends X-Men ’97 Emma Frost review (2025)
The brilliance of Barker’s script is Obsession has two victims — at least two a point. Clarly Nikki, who’s lost her free will to naturally develop romantic feelings, and Bear, who had no idea his wish would become a nightmare. Bear realizes something is off with Nikki and doesn’t take the obvious steps to do something about it. Instead, he just tries to roll with it even as Nikki becomes essentially a prisoner in her body while he becomes more and more “inconvenienced.”
Navarrette delivers a true breakout performance displaying an incredible degree of range. She makes regular Nikki cool, fun and full of life. It’s easy to see why Bear crushed on her for so long, but it’s the various levels of “love” that Navarrette really gets to shine from her amazingly memorable expressions, her exaggerated movements and the stilted manner in which she talks and moves like someone under a spell they can’t shake.
She could follow Amy Madigan’s (Weapons) path to Oscar gold. Unless the back end of the year provides a litany of undeniable career-defining performances, Navarette should be the easiest lock for numerous Best Actress nominations (and wins) come award season. Johnston probably won’t get as much attention since he doesn’t get the big spectacle moments, but he’s just as vital to the film registering so strongly. He’s reacting to the intensity that is Navarette’s performance, but he conveys Bear’s remorse and guilt well.
Director of photography Taylor Clemons stages some very creative shots throughout Obsession. The one that is the biggest contributor in fostering a sense of eeriness and dread is when he keeps Nikki shrouded in darkness — at some points just letting a glimmer of light shine to show her eyes.
Barker also has killer instincts on setting up a good jump scare. They’re the kind you think you know how and when it’s coming, but Barker lets the moment linger just a bit longer to keep viewers off guard. The score by Rock Burwell sets the mood wonderfully with eerie, haunting melodies.
At 108 minutes, Obsession does feel like some sections could have been trimmed down slightly to keep the pace moving. The biggest issue with Obsession is some of the collateral damage along the way. Bear can (ahem) bear the brunt of the consequences from his actions — ill-intentioned or not — but that shouldn’t come at the expense of harm to others. One character’s fate in particular feels like Barker took Obsession to an unnecessary direction that could have been written with more restraint yet remained equally impactful.
Obsessed easily earns a must-see status for thriller fans eager for a new thrill or for moviegoers who want a welcome non-franchise film that is sure to generate plenty of debate on the characters and its message.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Photo Credit: Focus Features
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.