On May 15, Curry Barker’s horror film “Obsession” hit theaters.
“Obsession” explores the tried-and-true concept of the risk of getting what you wish for, with a twist. The movie’s protagonist, Bear (Michael Johnston), has had a longtime crush on his coworker, Nikki (Inde Navarrette). When he uses what appears to be a novelty toy called the “One Wish Willow” to wish that she would love him more than anyone in the world, he soon discovers that his wish came true, but not in the way he expected.
Barker, a 26-year-old internet comedian and the director of “Obsession,“ creates a breath of fresh air for the film industry. Aside from his newfound fame as a film director, Barker is most famous for his work as a part of the comedy duo “that’s a bad idea” that creates comedy skits for YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. The other half of the comedy duo, Cooper Tomlinson, also stars in “Obsession” as Bear’s friend and coworker, Ian.
Barker’s previous film, “Milk & Serial,“ was his first foray into feature-length horror and was made on a budget of only $800. “Obsession” reportedly also used a relatively low budget of $750,000, which is impressive for a movie being released on a wide scale. The low budget is not at all evident when watching “Obsession,“ especially as much of the horror relies on skillful acting and an eerie atmosphere.
Navarrette’s performance as Nikki is by far the standout performance of the movie. Nikki displays a wide range of emotions and personalities, rapidly switching from her true self to a sweet girlfriend to a frightening, inhuman creature. Navarrette navigates these shifts with grace and really carries most of the movie’s scares.
A particularly impressive acting ability of Navarrette’s is her capability to go from acting normal to terrified, as Nikki’s true self seeps out of the spell’s facade at times. For instance, the first night Nikki sleeps over at Bear’s house, she breaks into screams of terror after kissing him and then quickly acts as if it was completely normal. This uncanny behavior occurs throughout “Obsession,“ allowing Navarette’s acting to shine.
Johnston skillfully portrays Bear’s complexity, as he is not truly the victim, nor is he the villain. Additionally, Johnston’s reactions to Nikki’s outbursts are fascinating, as he is initially terrified, but then tries to relax, as he does not want to lose Nikki. These moments highlight Johnston’s acting prowess through the depth of emotions Bear experiences.
Refreshingly, “Obsession” primarily relies on practical effects for any unnatural horror moments. “Obsession” is a masterclass in subtlety; at one point, Nikki is standing in the corner of Bear’s room in the dark, and she looks uncanny, but it is hard to put a finger on what has changed. As it turns out, special-effects makeup highlighted Navarrette’s features for this scene to make her appear strange. Moments like this make “Obsession” stand out amongst its competitors in the horror genre.
Underneath all of the visual effects, “Obsession” also benefits from excellent sound design. In particular, the movie’s soundtrack, by Rock Burwell, is wonderfully unsettling. The music truly adds to the horror in many moments, but also helps positive scenes stand out, making the scares hit harder.
Aside from the expert acting and production, “Obsession” is an original concept, which is a rare gem in the industry. Audiences can hope to see more of Barker’s originality with future films.
In an interview with Total Film, Barker spoke about potentially making “Obsession 2,“ or an anthology series that further delves into the world of “Obsession.”
Even if “Obsession 2” does not come to fruition, fans can look forward to Barker’s next movie, “Anything But Ghosts,“ a comedy-horror that follows two phony paranormal investigators who must face real paranormal entities.
