Obsession (2026) Review – A Borderline Horror Masterpiece

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Apologies for my lack of output lately, I’ve been super busy with in real life stuff. We are back today, however, and we are bringing you a review of Curry Barker’s utterly fantastic dark romantic horror Obsession (2026).

Before we start, let’s give you a one sentence summary to establish the mood. Go see this movie at the first available opportunity; it’s the best horror of 2026 by a long way. Alright, let’s explain why.

Oh, and speaking of explanations, if you need answers to the ending of Obsession, why not check out our Obsession Ending Explained article? Be warned, however, it does contain spoilers unlike this review which is completely spoiler free.

You can also read our review of Milk & Serial, Curry Barker’s brilliant horror debut that he made for $800 and you can watch completely free on YouTube.

Horror is Trending!

Horror has been enjoying something of a renaissance the last couple of years. 2024 was absolutely fantastic with releases like Oddity and The Substance becoming instant classics. 2025, not to be outdone, was just as good; introducing the world to, perhaps, the most successful horror movie of all time when it comes to awards – Sinners.

“It’s the execution, performances, and genuinely scary nature of the film that separate Obsession from the dozens of horror movies that share this simple premise.”

Although 2026 started off slow, things are really starting to heat up and, all of a sudden, this horror renaissance is starting to seem less like a fluke and more like a trend. Is there any genre more exciting at the moment? I don’t think so and today’s movie, Obsession, is a great example of why.

The story is pretty simple. Hopeless romantic (that’s putting it politely, bit of a loser would be more apt) Bear (Michael Johnston) has a longstanding crush on his coworker Nikki (Inde Navarrette). After bungling an attempt to tell her how he really feels, he decides to resort to more drastic measures.

He breaks a “One Wish Willow“, a novelty gimmick that supposedly offers you one wish, and wishes that she loved him more than anything in the world. Little does he realise, his dreams are about to come true in the worst way imaginable.

As you can probably see, it’s a fairly standard “monkey’s paw” tale in the traditional Pet Sematary style so nothing overly inventive there. It’s the execution, performances, and genuinely scary nature of the film that separate Obsession from the dozens of horror movies that share this simple premise.

Borderline terrifying!

What Curry Barker has done that makes Obsession feel so different from most stories like this is to blend the fantastical with the ultra normal. The whole “make a wish” thing is very similar to something like the Tom Hanks breakout 80’s flick Big. It’s almost whimsical and nostalgic in its idea of a cheap novelty purchased at a kooky shop that sells mood crystals somehow actually working.

How it transforms Nikki from a strongly independent person who is eager to find her own path in life into a completely obsessed and, frankly, terrifying stalker is what makes it so damn scary. Barker has clearly taken a lot of cues from some of the more extreme examples of Borderline Personality Disorder (or to put it more correctly, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder) and dialed them up to 11.

Obviously, Bear expected adoration and romance from Nikki but what he gets instead is questions about where he has been, crying fits and making a scene when he challenges the narrative, and a complete inability for the pair to be apart. It’s fantastic and I would go as far as to say it might be a little triggering for anyone who has lived around someone with the condition.

I don’t want to come off as offensive, there. BPD is a terrible illness for sufferers and I wouldn’t want to diminish their experience. But Obsession is basically portrayed as a horror extreme of the worst case scenario when it comes to that inability to comfortably coexist with a sufferer who has deemed you their “favourite person”.

It’s going to unsettle you!

For much of the movie’s length, the events feel extremely normal. Nikki never wants to be apart from Bear and is furiously jealous when he spends time with other people. This is something that many viewers with experience in unhealthy relationships will relate to.

“Obsession really does get under your skin, too. You are constantly waiting for the next sinister scenario to take place and the next bout of escalation.”

It eventually begins to evolve into something far more sinister. She develops a physical inability to actually function without him there with her.

He leaves for work, she literally ceases to move; he falls asleep, she stays awake all night watching him; he asks her a simple question and she breaks out into a rage because she can’t handle his rejection. It’s weirdly unsettling and there are some parts of the film that are legitimately up there when it comes to some of the best scares in recent horror.

Again, they aren’t really jump scares; they are more the “get under your skin” variety. Obsession really does get under your skin, too. You are constantly waiting for the next sinister scenario to take place and the next bout of escalation.

Naturally, Nikki’s infatuation turns into gory horror chaos as the movie goes on but I’ll let you find out how that happens in your own time by watching the film.

Actually scary but darkly comedic, too

Luckily, the consistent tension is occasionally broken up by some moments of levity. I wouldn’t describe Obsession as a black comedy but it will make you laugh on numerous occasions. The interactions between the ultra-awkward Bear and his friends are often pretty amusing and his reactions to Nikki’s ever worsening predicament are always funny.

The laughs are hauntingly juxtaposed against the real-life implications of what Bear is doing, and has done, to Nikki. There are scenes that beg questions of consent and, when you really think about them, these are some of the bleakest moments of all.

One particular scene sees the pair being intimate and the look on Nikki’s face tells the real story of what is happening. It’s starkly troubling and really very sad when you think about it. It speaks to Barker’s expert writing that these elements blend so seamlessly into the horror.

Moments where Nikki’s actual conscience talks beyond the veil of the entity that is possessing her are rather depressing, too. Bear’s reaction to those moments only serves to highlight some of his selfish views and hints that he may actually be the bad guy in this whole scenario.

Incredible acting and wonderfully filmed

Acting is tremendous! Michael Johnston is fantastic as Bear. He’s channeling some of that trademark Michael Cera awkwardness but without the bile-inducing way Cera acts and talks. He portrays Bear as a legitimately awkward yet weirdly likable guy who actually manages to make you lean towards feeling pity for him rather than revulsion at what is taking place.

The star of the show is undoubtedly Inde Navarrette. Navarrette has a scant resume when it comes to acting and claims to not be a fan of horror but you wouldn’t guess it. She transforms from a generic every girl into a complex, hilarious, and wonderfully sinister character the likes of which would make Annie Wilkes blush.

She’s utterly captivating throughout and will scare the pants off of you. A star making turn for sure; I can’t wait to see her in future horror movies.

Curry Barker is an emerging talent, sure, but the leap from Milk and Serial to this is insane. He uses long, drawn out shots that somehow still manage to maintain pace and never feel awkward or cumbersome. He’s crafted a beautifully moody picture that feels far higher budget than it actually is. It’s a bit too dark, at times, but that’s a bit of a plague in horror, as of late.

“Navarrette transforms from a generic every girl into a complex, hilarious, and wonderfully sinister character the likes of which would make Annie Wilkes blush.”

Barker highlights the pinnacle of another emerging trend – the YouTuber turned big-screen movie maker. The Philippou brothers have done it, Markiplier has done it, and now Barker has made the leap, too. The success of these directors should put the industry on notice. The talent is real and that pipeline has only just opened up. It’s very exciting.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.