In the latest instalment of ‘YouTubers turned filmmakers”, Curry Barker has created what may be the horror movie of the year with a budget under $1M. Obsession excels in atmospheric chills, eerie vibes and disturbing sequences, locking you in with a gripping sense of suspense.
Going into this film having not watched a single trailer was an absolute blessing. Barker has taken a somewhat familiar premise and turned it into a gripping, spine-chilling adventure. The whole “make a wish and the wish goes wrong” premise is familiar, but this film feels unique in its tone and atmosphere, as well as the direction it takes with its narrative. It’s so chaotic that it becomes increasingly unpredictable as time goes on. The story offers surprises aplenty that stem from Barker asking the question “how messed up can we get” before every other scene.
It’s a horror film at its core, but weaves in some clever comedic moments that are more born from being uncomfortable to watch than straight humorous. The laughs don’t come from jokes; they come from terrifying situations that are so brutally tense that if you don’t laugh you’ll cry. It’s so skillfully crafted in its horror and disturbing sequences that the comedy never once rips you out of the horrifying nature of what’s happening on screen. The balance of these tones is something a lot of horror films get wrong, but Barker has struck a perfect pitch.
I really need to praise this film for its horror (no duh), because this is undoubtedly one of the most effectively disturbing and terrifying films I’ve seen in a long time. It’s absolutely manic in its pacing and how far it’s willing to go to traumatise audiences. To say I was frozen in fear and suspense, as well as mouth agape in shock and awe, would be an understatement. That was my state for the majority of this film thanks to the utterly genius building of suspense, gut-wrenching twists and exceptional performances.
The low budget indie feel of this film really helps with the horrifying nature of everything happening on screen. It helps create this looming sense of unease that spans every minute of the film; you really never know where the story is going to turn nor what messed up scene is coming next. Obsession feels similar to It Follows in its pace, tension and overall aesthetic, which is high praise because It Follows is another exceptional indie horror film. The low budget also fuels creativity; they don’t have an unlimited budget to craft massive supernatural horror sequences and so are forced to play more with lighting, staging and practical effects. Speaking of practical effects, the reliance on practical gore enhances the stomach-churning nature of the film in a way you wouldn’t get with CGI horror.
Within the horror genre, you have a number of films that focus on overall atmosphere and crafting a consistently spine-chilling thrill ride, then you have those that just focus on big shock-factor moments. Obsession manages to excel in both areas, creating a non-stop barrage of scares where each attempt at instilling terror in the audience is unique and surprising. There are moments in this film that are terrifying strictly because of what you don’t see. One specific sequence is a long, slightly tense conversation, but the eerie nature of the scene comes from an out-of-focus Nikki in the background doing nothing but staring at the camera. It’s simple yet unbelievably effective. Then you have your set-piece moments like the house party and THAT bedroom scene that just stick with you.
As much as writer/director Curry Barker is the mastermind behind this film’s scares, I can say without a doubt that Obsession wouldn’t be as terrifying without Inde Navarrette as Nikki. Her performance is so gripping, terrifying and unsettling that every single moment she’s on screen had me on edge… with that getting increasingly more effective with time. The way she’s able to switch up emotions on a dime, altering the entire tone of a scene and getting you to hold your breath in terror and suspense is masterful. Everything from the subtle changes in her voice to her mannerisms getting increasingly more manic makes this a must-see horror performance. Michael Johnson is great as Bear, the film’s lead, selling us on the increasing terror of his situation, but he’s consistently outshone by Navarrette.
In the end, Obsession is a mesmerising horror film that’s going to be tough to top. It’s deeply unsettling from start to finish, with spine-chilling moments that will stick with you long after the credits roll and phenomenal horror execution. It’s not one of those horror films that hides under the veil of viral social media clips and TikTok trends; it’s genuinely haunting and a brilliant example of how to build suspense. With a stomach-churning tone, eerie atmosphere and disturbing narrative, this is a must-see indie feature that has without a doubt made stars of its actors and writer/director.
9.5/10
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