MOVIE REVIEW: Inde Navarratte Delivers a Breakthrough Role in the Terrifying ‘Obsession’

Stemming from a very simple premise, Obsession finds its chilling horror in the many ways a single wish can go wrong. With minimal characters, a lean plot, and sparse set pieces, director-screenwriter Curry Barker maximizes the scares by exposing the extremes a person would endure for their desires and the sheer damage it inflicts on the human body and those around them. While the hook is supernatural in nature, Barker utilizes very little supernatural horror and keeps it grounded in the depths of human willpower and raw emotion. Ultimately, what makes this film scary is its depiction of how far a person can go for the object or person that they want.

Baron “Bear” Bailey (Michael Johnston) is a shy, sensitive young man who is in love with Nikki (Inde Navarrette), his childhood friend and co-worker at a music store. Together with their other friends and co-workers, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless), Bear is constantly with Nikki, yet he cannot open up to her about his feelings.

Bear happens upon a a magic shop and purchases a “One Wish Willow” novelty toy, that supposedly grant a single wish when snapped in half. He was supposed to give it to Nikki but when he can’t even do that, he uses it for himself and wishes that Nikki would love him “more than anyone in the world.” The shift is instantaneous. Nikki’s affection changes into a consuming obsession and begins to do anything and everything to be around Bear, pushing further and further what a person is capable of doing to show their love for someone.

Barker sets his world and most of the scenes at night, always filling the screen with shadows and darkness, using only minimal light to illuminate the faces of his cast. From the get-go, Nikki’s transformation is already frightening. She’s lying and making up stories – and not very good ones – just to find any excuse to be with Bear.

But later on, it breaks beyond the border of obsession; Nikki is constantly at Bear’s periphery. And he tries to rationalize that the novelty toy actually granted his wish, Bear reveals a side of him that was probably always there, but never exposed until the narrative gives him more chances to show his true persona.

Obsession does not shy away from visceral blood and gore in this film. The lengths by which Nikki would go to just to keep Bear near her and for him to pay attention to her is frightening. But Barker also gives her some scary movements, almost as if she’s possessed by some unnatural force. She would do things that would push her body’s limits just to prove her devotion to Bear. In some cases, the film leads to some terrifying jump scares that don’t feel cheap because it feels earned by the dramatic situation. Nikki becomes a patient predator, waiting in the shadows, in the sidelines, bidding her time until the best time she can be with Bear. It is surprising and it predicates that the wish has hollowed Nikki out, leaving he a captive host to an insatiable force.

Without being too obvious about it, the film can easily be viewed through a feminist lens. It portrays how the wishes of men can sometimes boil down to wanting a woman to be completely devoted to them, even if it is against her will and to the ultimate detriment of her own mind and body. Bear does not automatically try to find a way to break the spell; instead, he only seeks to minimize its harmful effects. Even though she is acting strangely, and is clearly dangerous to herself and to others, he still tries to find a way to keep her, just without the apparent harm. While it is never explicitly emphasized or stated, it is a powerful feminist statement if I ever saw one.

Johnston is incredible as Bear, playing into his soft-boy persona while also being completely overwhelmed by the story’s situation. There is a multitude of emotions running through him, and Johnston allows us to see all of them coursing through his body. It’s an excellent portrayal that demands an immense amount of skill and talent. But this movie is truly a showcase for Navarrette and her unbelievable commitment to the character and the dramatic situation. She is fearless and unpredictable. She’s a force of nature that transcends the film’s horror genre, turning it into a layered dramatic performance of a person whose entire personality has been reduced to the singular, simple wish of “loving someone more than anyone else in the world.” It’s an intensely physical role, one that is totally devoid of ego. And she is in it all the way; a star is born.

Barker’s pacing and direction allow the film to build and build, allowing things to get worse and worse and earns its big finale. It’s one of those movies where the audience in the cinema begins talking out loud to the characters on screen because they simply cannot contain their fear and anxiety over what is unfolding onscreen. This is absolutely a film made for the big screen.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Fearless, brutal, and absolutely unmissable. Obsession is a masterclass in tension that demands to be seen with a crowd. Don’t wait for the spoilers, check showtimes now and witness Inde Navarrete’s powerhouse performance on the big screen!