A 26-year-old former YouTuber, Curry Barker, decided to make his second feature film and boom, it exploded at the box office, selling shows like hot cakes. Obsession (2026) made its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2025 and was finally released in cinema halls across the world in May 2026. But why has this yet another horror film left the audience smitten?
Obsession follows the story of Bear, played by Michael Johnston, who has a crush on his friend and co-worker, Nikki (Inde Navarette), but is too timid and shy to confess his love due to the universal fear of losing their friendship. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to confess his love, Bear turns to a mysterious novelty toy named `One Wish Willow`. Although not an entirely new concept to rely on something supernatural, Obsession makes you actually question.
A still from the movie
With little faith in the toy, Bear breaks the musical plaything, wishing Nikki could fall in love with him `more than anyone else in the world.` Nikki`s behaviour almost instantly changes from a modern, sassy and intelligent girl to a vulnerable character, making Bear and the audience wonder if his wish has really come true. The incidents that follow convince the audience, but Bear still has second thoughts, giving coincidence and his luck the benefit of doubt.
Nikki turns from volatile to eerie to unpredictable to terrifying over the film, leaving the audience concerned more for her than by her. The film includes a good number of moments that make you laugh and smirk for a horror movie. Also expect scenes that you go from laughing to terrified in the same breath.
Inde Navarette, of 13 Reasons Why and Superman and Lois fame, does an exceptional job as Nikki, with her expressions and the mannerisms of an eerie, obsessed lover. She continuously plays through your mind, even when she`s not on screen, constantly making you think what she could possibly be doing. Her victim portrayal makes you sympathise with her while also being the central scary character of this horror flick.
Michael Johnston, on the other hand, feels relatable and sweet at the start, until his decisions make you want to snap him out of his bubble to see the reality of what his `one wish` has done. The other characters, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless), do their job fairly well, as you genuinely feel bad for them by the end of the film.
For the horror part, the film is eerie and makes you uncomfortable in moments. Except for one jump scare that actually scares, Obsession may not satisfy the classic horror lovers who crave for unexpected scenes that catch one off guard. It is more of a psychologically terrifying film to fit into the traditional horror genre.
The film takes the toxicity of obsession in a relationship to a whole new level, making you actually think about how far obsession can go. While `be careful what you wish for` is a warning we`ve been hearing for years, Obsession will actually make you believe in it. It blends the eerie elements with a touch of comedy and relatability, seamlessly making the film feel rather personal – a formula that has probably worked for the film`s sleeper success. The Curry Barker directorial is what a `modern-day love story gone wrong` could look like, making it a refreshing and good watch.
