Obsession: Is the Villain Really the Villain?
by Olivia Steimle
Obsession lied to you.
This past summer and into fall, a massive shift has hit the horror genre. Horror is finally stepping away from endless franchise installments and unnecessary remakes, to low-budget indie films that gross over 600 times their production budgets. Curry Barker directs Obsession, which follows the main character, Bear, the typical “nice guy” desperate to get out of the friend zone with Nikki, who doesn’t reciprocate. In an attempt to win her affection, Bear visits the crystal shop to pick up a necklace for her, but is intrigued by the One Wish Willow, said to grant any wish once. Upon snapping the willow in half, he wishes, “I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone else in the entire world.” This is where the chaos and bloodbath ensue.
The trailer depicts Nikki, portrayed by Inde Navarette, as a gruesome and obsessive villain, using handpicked scenes of violence and jump scares to throw viewers off. However, the villain is not Nikki, not the Willow, but Bear. Bear made his wish with the intention of taking total control of the situation, rather than letting a potential relationship develop organically, which ultimately led to Nikki’s loss of autonomy and control over her own actions. This poses a question to the title itself: Which character is the title Obsession truly for? Sometimes, the villain is the person who believes they are the victim no matter what.
To carry through the off-putting atmosphere, two of the most popular songs, “Love Is In the Air” parts one and two, perfectly replicate the feeling audiences get whilst viewing the compilation of Nikki and Bear’s relationship after he makes the wish. The scenes alone, with soft piano, portray a normal, happy relationship, and it isn't until you notice that the longer notes are off-key. This signals the shift from innocence to obsession.
All in all, I would rate Obsession a 5/5!! It is a must-see for this year’s spooky season because the story is the perfect blend between deeper meaning and outright bone-chilling horror. Maybe even pick up a One Wish Willow yourself! What could go wrong?
