Obsession Review: One of the best horrors of the 2020s
Ever since Cody Leach glazed this movie in his film festival ranking video last year, it's been one of my most anticipated films of this year. The word-of-mouth about this movie has almost sounded more obsessive than the film itself, which is saying a lot. So, did Curry Barker pull off his grand plan here like everyone was advertising to me, or was it just another case of an unnaturally overhyped movie where praise spreads like a raging wildfire? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be discussing in today's Reel Ranker article. Thanks for joining me today, and I hope you enjoy your stay here on the site!
Usually, I start with a whole rambling rant about each film's negatives, but there's pretty much nothing to say here. The only thing I would've liked a little better is if the film had emphasized the difference between Real and Wish Nikki more. This is just personal preference, though, so take this with the smallest grain of salt. Honestly, as much as I adore Saw and Sleepaway Camp and so many other debut horror films, this may be the best one yet. Maybe that's just hyperbole or recency bias or a lack of me watching every horror film in existence, but, at the very least, it's up there!
First of all, everything about this movie is tightly paced and well executed. It felt like Barker knew how to shoot every minute detail of his project with full confidence and executed his vision flawlessly. I haven't really thought about that with many movies, but here, something just felt special.
The horror here is absolutely incredible! While there aren't many kills or super bloody moments (though the ones that are here are fantastic), it's the juxtaposition between two very different types of obsession and how it plays out that really makes the film so horrifying. Bear is truly obsessed with Nikki, but in a cold, uncaring way that is calculative and sinister. Conversely, Nikki is under a spell and is forced to be obsessed with Bear in a robotic, demonic way, all while she's aware of the fact that she's being forced to do obsessive things against her will.
It's interesting: the psychological horror here comes in the small moments when Bear descends into villainy, whereas the more physical, conventional scares come from Nikki. The tension being ratcheted up by one character, while another provided care and thrills, was a great move! The horror here is so comprehensive! It boasts gore with emotional stakes, facial expressions that convey obsession, uncanny body language that displays inhuman emotion, gross outs with bodily fluids (and a certain sandwich), and prevailing implications of "be careful what you wish for", and even some shadowy jump scares that are effectively executed.
All of these scares are on the shoulders of Inde Navarette, who pulls off one of the greatest performances in all of cinema. She's easily going to be the Best Actress winner for me at the end of the year, unless some obscene miracle occurs. While every performance here was phenomenal, there's no doubt this one will overcome the typical horror aversion at the Oscars, à la Amy Madigan.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 93%
Letter Score: S
Star Ranking: 4.5 out of 5
Obsession is one of the best horror movies I've ever watched, no question. With perfected story beats, two juxtaposed lead performances that are among the best of the decade, and multifaceted horror that covers every base you can imagine with elegance, it's so phenomenal that I truly believe it might be the second-ever horror film to win Best Picture.
Interested in checking out some recent reviews for some other thriller and horror films? See them below!
Brighton Nelson
Brighton NelsonEnjoy this review? Stay tuned for more articles from The Reel Ranker! Enjoy video games, music, or books? Check out our sister site, RPG Ranked, Mr. Maestro, and Brighton's Bookshelf, respectively!
