Movie Review: Obsession

Careful what you wish for...

I think we have all, at some point in our lives, obsessed over someone we want to be with, knowing full well that it is little more than a pipe dream. I think it’s that particular detail that helps Obsession feel somehow relatable, despite how bonkers it gets as the movie progresses.

Bear is a character that does not live up to his name, as he is shy and timid, which is shown in his ability to tell his co-worker Nikki, that he has a huge crush on here. Incapable of asking for a date or sharing his feelings, Bear resorts to some woo-woo, purchasing a One Wish Willow from a crystal shop. From the moment he snaps the trinket and makes his wish, it all kicks off.

His wish that Nikki loves him more than anyone else in the world seems innocent enough, but when her behavior becomes increasingly strange, Bear realizes that he has made a terrible mistake. As Nikki’s love for him reaches new heights, his world begins to crumble.

What made this all the more relatable was the fact that the kind of love Bear was looking for was actually staring him right in the face in the form of another co-worker, who legitimately liked him and wanted to be with him.

It would have been very easy for Obsession to turn into a schlocky, overbearing piece of horror art, and while there are grotesque moments, there is also a truly creepy undercurrent rippling just below the surface from start to finish. One scene in particular where Nikki scuttles backward into shadow, only to perform a quick fake charge actually made me shudder.

What really helped take this movie over the top was the acting, particularly from both main characters. Both of them sold it without ever making it feel campy. This for me, makes Obsession another great entry into what is becoming a fantastic era in horror movies.

5 stars out of 5