As horror fans, we spend our lives chasing a very specific dragon. We scour endless rows of streaming titles and theater marquee lists, hunting for that elusive, traumatic thrill that made us fall in love with the genre in the first place. More often than not, it’s a disappointing cycle that leaves us craving a spark we can rarely recapture. But last night, I finally felt that old chill again.
I sat down to watch Curry Barker’s independent phenomenon, Obsession. I’ll admit I was actively dreading it, terrified that the staggering online hype wouldn’t hold up. Thankfully, I can look you dead in the eye and tell you it made me feel like a terrified nine-year-old peeking through my fingers at Friday the 13th all over again. Obsession goes vastly beyond cheap gore and goo; it is an emotional, heartbreaking, and deeply disturbing descent into psychological ruin. And if you’re a cat parent, brace yourself.
WARNING: Mild Spoilers!
The story follows Bear. He’s a lonely music store employee who is tired of playing second fiddle in the life of his lifelong crush, Nikki. In a moment of sheer desperation, Bear makes a wish using a mysterious trinket called the “One Wish Willow” (get yours here) to win Nikki’s heart. In the vocabulary of horror cinema, making a “sweet” wish is always a catastrophic error. Bear’s wish is granted. However, the results are far less rom-com and entirely run-for-your-life. When you use a cursed object to hijack human autonomy and consent by force, the universe tends to send a very violent, terrifying bill.
I found that some aspects of the story hit a little too close to home. I think everyone has experienced unrequited love, as well as the panic of the moment when someone you love ends the relationship. Granted, I do not know that level of obsession from the film (thank god), but that pain is familiar to everyone. It is grounded in something real, and that is chilling.
A fair warning to fellow pet owners: one of the movie’s most effective and utterly unhinged sequences involves Bear’s pet cat. If you have a massive soft spot for furballs, you are going to find a particular stretch of Obsession incredibly difficult to stomach. Honestly, targeting the pet demographic was a stroke of absolute genius—with over 300 million cat owners worldwide, there is no quicker way to get under an audience’s skin. It was a brilliant idea on Barker’s part.
It might also ensure you never look at lunch the same way again. I unfortunately happened to be taking a bite of a BBQ sandwich when a certain scene took place. Needless to say, my dinner found its way into the trash mid-bite as I stared across the room at my own cats, Buffy and Sabrina, napping peacefully and unaware of the trauma I was experiencing. It is an exceptionally effective bit of visceral filmmaking and a brilliant choice.
Mind-Blowing Performances
The performances are nothing short of spectacular. Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette deliver a masterclass in tension and off-the-charts craziness. Navarrette offers a career-defining, physically demanding performance that transitions seamlessly from friend to something deeply tragic and borderline demonic. Johnston grounds the nightmare with emotional depth that leaves you stunned by his range. He perfectly captures the terrifying denial of a “nice guy” who refuses to take accountability for the horror he engineered. Backed by practical special effects that are entirely believable, seamless, and impeccably executed, the movie fires on every single cylinder.
To say I was impressed by Curry Barker’s masterpiece is a massive understatement. While there are still a few months left before we crown the absolute best horror films of 2026, Obsession has effortlessly made it to the top three of the year, if not the number-one spot. It really is that phenomenal. If you missed its record-shattering run in theaters, don’t panic. The movie officially hits digital platforms for purchase and rental today, June 30. Clear your schedule, lock your doors, hold your cat close, skip supper, and prepare to be utterly ruined, in the best possible way.
