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By Izzy Pezzaioli.
If I had one wish only the branch of a willow tree could conjure, it would be that every horror film is as good as Curry Barker’s Obsession. Released in May, Obsession has quickly become the horror film to watch in 2026, with some saying it is the best film of the year.
Obsession follows Bear, played by Michael Johnston, a young man working in a music shop with friends Ian, played by Cooper Tomlinson, Sarah, played by Megan Lawless, and his lifelong crush Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette. Following the unfortunate death of his cat, Bear acquires a One Wish Willow, a mysterious collectable item from a crystal shop. Unable to find the courage to ask Nikki out on a date, Bear snaps the One Wish Willow, and the wish he makes turns out far more sinister than intended.
Obsession is Curry Barker’s debut theatrical release and has swiftly become one of the best-performing horror films of all time. The film relies on the actors’ performances rather than the star power to attract audiences. Inde Navarrette’s performance as Nikki is groundbreaking, portraying the cool girl next door who switches from confusion and fear to uncanny and unsettling effortlessly.
Obsession is not your typical horror; the film has glimpses of perfectly timed comedy, which allows a brief interval from the terror that is being shown on screen without feeling out of place. These scenes link back to Curry Barker’s time on YouTube with his channel ‘that’s a bad idea’, where he specialises in comedy as a duo with his co-star Cooper Tomlinson, who plays Ian in the film.
The comedic elements of the film help to humanise the characters as well as allowing audiences to ease up their guard, so that when the scares hit, they hit hard. However, the scares in this film aren’t solely to make you jump; in fact, there are very few jump scares throughout the film, yet Obsession still manages to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Curry Barker believes that he is changing the modern jump scare, suggesting that there should be intention behind the scares in a horror film, rather than meaningless moments there for shock factor.
Obsession blurs the lines between innocence and evil, making audiences question whether it is the One Wish Willow that is evil, or Bear’s desires themselves which are unethical. The revelation of Bear’s true intention has paved the way for a more niche and unknown type of horror to steal the spotlight: incel horror. Bear’s wish strips Nikki of her autonomy as well as her ability to make rational decisions, including love and her emotions. With Obsession being framed this way, audiences question Bear’s true intentions and begin to ask the question of who or what is the true villain of this story.
Obsession is a must see, not just for horror fans, but for film lovers in general.
