Obsession

For me, horror is a genre about pushing the boundaries of film. It can explore themes and characters that other genres cannot due to its focus on fear. Fear allows us to perceive ideas we don’t fully understand or comprehend. I genuinely cannot remember the last time I sat down in a theater or at home and felt this scared. Nikki has become an absolute horror icon. That alone makes Obsession a very well executed horror film. However, the best horror films do more than scare you with what’s on screen. They linger in your mind even after the movie ends. I cannot stop thinking about this film. It’s characters, soundtrack, and everything about it has been spinning around my head all day. I got home and all I could think about was the ending. Today, I almost felt physically sick thinking of a certain scene in the movie. Obsession performs the best of both worlds. It scares me while watching, but terrifies me because it is fundamentally about the loss of autonomy. The best horror films are an exploration of human nature through themes of obsession, grief, and violation. Alien is terrifying, but it is powerful because it is a metaphor for sexual assault. The Thing is also about assimilation and paranoia. Obsession is powerful because it’s not focused on the possession, it’s about the consequences of the wish. With all this said, it sounds like I’m building up this review like Barker’s theatrical debut is a flawless masterpiece. This isn’t exactly the case because it does have some problems. For one, the world building is weaker than I wanted. The supernatural horror can be silly if you really think about the logistics. In addition, the film has a few scenes that are goofy and cliche. Also, some of the writing for the characters seems contrived for the plot to happen. I always say it’s the job of a director to overshadow flaws in their films. Obsession does this with just one person: Inde Navarrette. I do not think there’s ever been a breakout role as good as this. She is incredible in this film. Everyone is pretty good, but from the moment Inde is on screen, you can tell she is on a whole another level. I loved her performance as real Nikki and her portrayal of freaky Nikki was absolutely terrifying. Words cannot do justice, you really just have to watch her on screen. The film is incredibly tragic because we are watching the struggle of a victim who has no control. It’s concerning to think about how dangerous desire can be. Bear’s desire turns from wanting someone to thinking he is entitled to someone. He constantly has a false perception of Nikki and fails to see her distress and reality. Stripping away someone’s autonomy is unforgivable. But Bear continues his moral failure by not acting once he realizes what he has done. From beginning to end, Bear never has the strength to do the right thing. By the end, Nikki is left with the trauma, not from her own actions, but by the consequences of someone else’s desires imposed on her. Incredible film.