Obsession Movie Review

Obsession is a supernatural horror film written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker. The movie premiered on the 5^th of September 2025, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where Focus Features acquired the distribution rights for $15 million. Obsession was theatrically released in the United States on the 15^th of May 2026 followed by digital release on 30 June 2026.

The movie follows a socially awkward young man who makes a wish using a One Wish Willow for his crush to love him, more than anyone in the world, and it comes with horrific consequences.

The Good

Obsession gives an unnerving spin to the “be careful what you wish for” horror story, tapping into relationship dynamics; toxic love, entitlement, and autonomy.

While the story is told from Bear’s perspective, as portrayed by Michael Johnston, the breakout role is by Inde Navarrette who plays Nikki. Her performance is terrifyingly unpredictable, shifting from affectionate to unhinged, manic devotion to menacing; its almost like a blank soul learning emotions and commanded to love….

It’s a low-budget production that punches above its weight, utilising lighting, confined spaces, and other practical effects to deliver a psychological horror. From a $750 000 budget, Obsession grossed over $300 million globally, becoming the 8^th highest-grossing movie of 2026.

The Bad

Its familiar, following a predictable arc, from wish to consequences and chaos, and because of this, the pacing struggles to maintain momentum after setting up everything early on…

It has a mixture of horror and humour which may not land for everyone, the target audience is young adults, who could brush some things off and say “its not that deep”.

Why did they call it Obsession and not One Willow Wish???

The Ugly

Obsession is a horror movie and it serves some disturbing visuals and while it has few jump scares, the psychological elements crank up the tension.

The central premise of someone being manipulated into loving another person makes for an uncomfortable watch on dependence, consent and autonomy.

Bear first starts as a “nice guy” simply caught up in a wish gone bad, but a darker truth emerges, in how he handles things, revealing him as a monster playing at being a victim, while the real victim’s perspective is never fully explored or expanded.

Final Thoughts

Obsession is a gripping psychological horror, that will keep you up long after you have finished watching, as you search if you missed post-credit scenes and if they will make a sequel, surely they wouldn’t, right?

Have you watched Obsession does it sound like something you would watch?