Obsession

 

Courtesy of Focus Features
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Human behaviour is always a fantastic place to mine for the next horror story. Mix in a traditional horror element, add some paranoia, finally, some mystery and you have the makings of the next big horror film. Most likely made for a fraction of the cost a studio would spend. But Obsession could very easily have slid into obscurity if it hadn't been for a well executed idea, great performances and the fact that filmmaker Curry Barker had already gained a following on Youtube. The latter element is all everyone is talking about, that and Backrooms and how both films and the creators are challenging the status quo etc. True, both filmmakers cut their craft on Youtube and gained a following, an audience, but the main take away here is that both are seemingly original ideas. While Backrooms explores liminal space, Obsession is a combo of stories we’ve heard before.

Baron, Bear to his friends, has an overwhelming crush on his friend and co-worker Nikki. When he becomes too scared to admit his feelings to her, he decides to make a wish on what he thinks is a novelty toy, a ‘One Wish Willow’. Making the wish that she would love him more than anyone else in the world, with immediate results and the worst possible consequences.

The premise of Obsession is solid, with characters that are not quite fully developed, but we get a good understanding who these people are from context; clothes, attitude, and slight background info. More importantly, we know Bear is very keen on Nikki but even by the little time we spend with her, she doesn't exactly feel the same way about him. What unfolds is a haunting, possession and lack of morals. Bear knows something is immediately wrong and yet his own desperate need to be with Nikki overpowers the need to understand or even fix the issues. Only when Nikki starts to act completely unhinged does he question his safety as well as others around him. Though Nikki is the one who acts obsessed with Bear to the point where no one is safe, it is really Bear’s own obsession with Nikki that leads him down this path. But, he can’t be blamed for not believing the wish willow was real, at first. Bear’s obsession is why this story feels familiar.

We’ve seen stories about stalkers and relationships gone terribly wrong. We’ve also seen plenty of possession stories, which this is in the realm of. Nikki has indeed been possessed by something, we don’t know exactly what. Bear does try to find out more about the wish willow and who made them but all we seem to get is one disturbing phone call that doesn’t really shed any light on anything. This mystery is placed at a perfect time in the story, and it may be frustrating to have no answers, it works far better that we don’t find out more. The wish willow is also a monkey’s paw, an omen that screams be careful what you wish for. This horror trope we have seen in films many times as well, just look at all the Wishmaster films. It doesn’t matter what you wish for, it won’t turn out like you hoped and there is always going to be a sinister twist. Despite the familiar stories that are blended together, 

Obsession still manages to provide unique scares and really does burrow under your skin. Its an intriguing horror story that isn’t so easily explained and ends on a very bloody uneasy note. Just hope that studios don’t try to replicate, as that would not look good.