FILM REVIEW: Obsession (2026)

Obsession - New Release Review

Director: Curry Barker

Starring: Inde Navarette, Michael Johnston, Megan Lawless, Cooper Tomlinson, Haley Fitzgerald

Written by: Curry Barker

Produced by: James Harris, Christian Mercuri

Cinematography by: Taylor Clemons

Original Score by: Rick Burwell

Synopsis:

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:

In recent times a number of filmmakers have cut their filmmaking teeth producing work for online on platforms like YouTube. The Philippou Brothers rose to prominence with 'Talk To Me' and 'Bring Her Back' which were met mostly with critical acclaim. Earlier this year Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach had great commercial success with 'Iron Lung' and there is a lot of hype around Kane Parsons 'Backrooms' which brings his much lauded web series to the big screen with a feature length adaptation. There has also been some unfair backlash by online trolls saying they can't be real filmmakers due to their beginnings with their YouTube channels. The latest "YouTuber" trying to prove these keyboard warriors wrong is Curry Barker with his film 'Obsession'. 

The film follows a simple "Monkey Paw" premise where music store employee Bear (Michael Johnston) buys a novelty toy called a "One Wish Willow" which claims to grant a wish to whoever breaks it. Bear breaks it to make his colleague and friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) fall in love with him but he soon realises that he should be careful what he wishes for as things spiral out of control. 

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You read a premise like this and you instantly tell yourself that you've seen this kind of film a million times before from the likes of Blumhouse (who are co-producers of this film) as they seem to churn out these 'Tales From The Crypt' inspired stories at least once a year but with Curry Barker behind the film it is much more than this. At face value his directorial debut 'Milk & Serial' felt like it would be nothing more than an expanded segment for a film in the 'V/H/S' series but he packs a lot of interesting ideas around a simple premise in a short runtime. 'Obsession' has a similar approach as it dives deep into "nice guy" culture that sinks its teeth into the themes of female autonomy, co-dependency and consent to disturbing effect. 

Barker aims to make his audience uncomfortable throughout and he succeeds with this thematic approach, as there are some scenes which aren't necessarily played for scares but they hit you deep in the pit of your stomach, thanks to the manner in which he writes the characters, making them feel natural and relatable.

Surrounding all of this is a violating sound design that sends shudders down your spine alongside a grim look to the entire film that also feeds into the bleak sense of inevitability to the film. It isn't all doom and gloom though as Barker taps into his comedic roots to (thankfully) deliver some moments of humour that break the tension. They even go as far as elevating the horror as the see-saw effect of these tones is surprisingly effective. 

In terms of horror, Barker really delivers on this front. There are moments in this that will be permanently burned into my brain for how terrifying they are. There is one particular scene in the bedroom that is heavily inspired by 'Pulse' that genuinely frightened me thanks to the uncanny nature and best use of shadows I've seen in a horror film for quite some time. It also earns its 18 certificate with one brutal kill in particular that caused me to physically wince and shake in my seat. In the hands of a lesser director it would be purely there as shock value but the atmosphere Barker instills into the film from the beginning makes moments like these and the effective jump scares throughout well and truly earned. 

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As terrific as Barker's direction (and a smart well structured script) is, the star of the film is Inde Navarrette. She is a revelation as Nikki whose life is taken over thanks to the selfish wish of Bear. Her performance is one for the ages and is the throughline for the wickedly unhinged streak of the film, as she runs a gambit of emotions throughout. A tragic character in no control of her situation, moments in which her true self comes to the surface are really unsettling but when her "wish form” (for lack of a better term) dominates her performance tilts from being hilarious (thanks mainly to the toddler like petulance she exhibits) to scary so quickly leaving you emotionally exhausted in the best way possible. Be it her presence lingering in the background of a shot or a close up of a manic expression Navarrette will unnerve you every time she appears on screen. 

Opposite her Michael Johnston is just as good as the villain of the film who we follow like a traditional protagonist. There is an emotional vulnerability that he exhibits through his performance that almost makes you feel an ounce of sympathy for him but he always ensures that you never forget how vile and selfish his character, is as their situation grows steadily worse. 

'Obsession' is an incredibly cruel film in the best way possible. Barker proves he is the real deal by taking a basic tried and tested premise that breaks out of its commercial confines. There is a devilment to the film in how he fleshes out some rich thematic ideas that shroud the film in a bleak atmosphere whilst offering moments of levity that add to the madness. Inde Navarrette's performance is the linchpin to making the film work and she not only succeeds but delivers one of the most memorable performances in any horror film in recent years as the centre of some unforgettable scenes. In short, 'Obsession' is a film that will affect you physically, mentally and emotionally but most importantly it will linger in your mind and haunt your dreams long after you have watched it. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

-Joseph McElroy

'Obsession' is released in Irish/UK cinemas on May 15th