Take 71: Obsession (2026)
The psychological horror Obsession (2026) is a update on an ancient cautionary tale: careful what you wish for… Bear (Michael Johnston) is a shy, mild music store employee who makes what at the time, seems like a simple wish: he asks that his longtime crush Nikki (Inde Navarrette) falls COMPLETELY in love with him. His wish is granted and he gets the girl of his dreams but soon finds that she has become a living nightmare. Not only does she love him, she is now OBSESSED with him. This extreme obsession plays out in all the worst ways as Nikki has every intention of loving Bear to death…
This one has a relatively small cast of people I am mostly unfamiliar with, but boy, they pack a punch, especially the leads. Johnston is believable as a little awkward but very likeble and root-forable. He is pretty much the straight man and the audience can easily put themselves in his shoes as he is placed in uncomfortable situation and situation. Inde Navarrette however, really gets to flex here- she turns from sweet and dutiful to raging psycho on a dime. She is petite, yet downright terrifying and manages so much with a weird vacant stare and bizarre sneer (although I imagine at least some of this is done through effects and editing.) She might be tiny, but she’s s totally unpredictable and she absolutely nails it every time. Eagle eyes might also recognize Conan O’Brien writer and sidekick in the role of music store owner.
The story itself is nothing new, but the presentation is what sells it. It’s a modern day “Monkey’s Paw.” On the surface, Bear’s request is very human. We’ve all been there. His wish is harmless on the surface. It does take a a deeper meaning when you consider how his seemingly simple wish does in fact have consequences for the object of his desire. This is something that is usually overlooked in this type of story.
Enough with the psychological talk, let’s get into the horror. There is that a plenty. The anxiety producing factor is strong in this one. Whenever that little switch would flip in Nikki, I was squirming in my seat. Textbook cringe. And it continued to escalate as her actions be more and more unhinged. Not being my first time at the rodeo, there is one moment that, because of the positioning of the camera and backgrounds and such, the scare is telegraphed and I totally knew that SOMETHING was coming, but when it finally happens, it is so much worse than I was expecting. Yeah, it was DARK. It does keep you guessing. There is a moment when all hope is lost and you are wondering if things might work out or not because we are talking magic and wishes. It can go either way and it does, but I won’t say for fear of spoiling, but it felt to be on the hook for so long.
Rating this is tough. There are moments when I was bothered and disturbed. Most people love that feeling in their movies. I am pretty sure I am not one of those people. But do I fault the movie for doing its job? I dunno. There are also a few moments where, as audience member, I was “Oh h*ll no! Absolutely not!” where I was almost taken out of film, but when reminded of the what set things into motion, I can’t even knock those much. It really is a very solid film. Rewatchability probably won’t be high, but it doesn’t take much away from the overall experience. My score: 9.3
Were you obsessed with this one? Tell us about in the the comments. And until next time…
