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Horror movies have been taking over the trending list lately. From Korean zombies to the horrors of liminal spaces, frightening flicks are the talk of the town these days. One of the biggest movies that has got social media buzzing is Obsession, the indie horror sensation from Gen Z YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Curry Barker.
On the surface, the movie plays on the typical tropes of the annoying and obsessed girlfriend whose adoration for her man becomes dark and deadly. But Obsession is a lot more than just another crazy girlfriend horror story, and, in fact, turns the idea on its head. As much as the movie centers on a relationship turned horrific because of an obsessed woman, it also deals with how it’s made worse by a man who prioritizes his needs over those of others.
Spoilers for Obsession ahead
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The Plot: When Obsession Reaches a Breaking Point
Obsession tells the story of Bear (Michael Johnston) and Nikki (Inde Navarrette), two friends and music store employees. Bear has feelings for Nikki, but he’s too shy to admit it to her. Even when a moment presents itself for him to do so, his lack of confidence gets the better of him. Seemingly unable to profess how he truly feels about her, Bear turns to the One Wish Willow, a magical object that can grant its user one wish.
As a half-joke, he wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the world. It seemingly works, with Nikki falling head over heels for Bear. But as their relationship progresses, Bear soon realizes that the Nikki who is in love with him is not the Nikki he knew, as his wish comes with sinister consequences.
Most of the immediate horror is brought about by the terrifyingly obsessed Nikki, who is brought to life in a breakthrough performance by Inde Navarrette. But it should be noted that it all began because of Bear’s wish. Early on in the film, Nikki gives Bear the chance to tell her how he really feels about her, but he chickens out. If the movie were set in the Philippines, it would be accurate to describe Bear as torpe. But in his inability to admit his feelings for Nikki and his fear of rejection, Bear turns to the worst option possible.
The wish doesn’t make Nikki fall in love with Bear; instead, Nikki becomes possessed by an entity that is in love with him. What’s worse is that Nikki is conscious when all of this goes down, as seen in the glimpses when her real self tries to break out. In essence, Bear stole Nikki’s mind, body, and autonomy. She loses the ability to consent as her possessed self bends over backwards to be with Bear. The movie weaponizes a man’s fear of rejection and their selfishness and uses it to destroy the life of a young woman.
This new Nikki’s singular focus is on Bear, which is a far departure from the free-spirited Nikki audiences meet at the beginning of the film. This change is also reflected in the way she dresses, as Nikki fixes herself to appease the male gaze, which is Bear’s eyes in this case (you can spot Nikki wearing a “B” necklace in the infamous dinner scene).
How Does Bear’s Behavior Drive the Horror in Obsession?
It could be argued that Bear didn’t know the wish would work, and that evil Nikki crossed all boundaries. Bear is human after all, and humans are morally gray beings who don’t easily fit into a black or white box. But there’s also a point to be made that he had chances to fix his mistake, but didn’t do so.
When Bear calls the help line, he doesn’t ask to cancel the wish but alter it to fit his vision of what being with Nikki is like, basically the idea of Nikki and not for who she really is. In one of the most harrowing scenes in the movie, Bear tries to leave his house late at night when the original Nikki asks him to end her life so she can end the possession. But instead of doing so or at least talking it out, he asks her what would be so bad about loving him and leaves, showing that even when seeing how demented, destructive, and possessed Nikki is, Bear still clings to the hope that he can make the artificial relationship work. Needless to say, he just thinks about himself until it’s too late.
His refusal to accept and acknowledge the consequences of his actions and lack of regard for Nikki’s feelings come to a head during the movie’s tragic ending. Realizing that the only way to stop it is to end his life, Bear overdoses on a bottle of pills. But at the last minute, he tries to make himself throw up.
Ironically, it was the possessed Nikki who stopped him after she used the One Wish Willow to wish that Bear falls in love with her, only for the pills to take effect. What’s left is a freed Nikki who, instead of celebrating her freedom, is wallowing in despair as she’s left alone with the trauma of what has transpired. Nikki didn’t choose this for herself, Bear did. But in the end, she becomes a tragic figure who has to bear the aftermath.
Obsession and Subverting the Crazy Girlfriend Trope
Cinema has a history of portraying women as the psycho girlfriend and obsessive stalker who go to great lengths for their men. But Obsession makes the point that a man’s obsession, or desire to get what he wants, is just as dangerous, if not more so. The movie’s events could have been avoided if Bear had just told Nikki how he felt. Instead, he opted to control Nikki and take her power to make decisions for herself.
Nikki didn’t have control over what she did in the movie, but Bear did, and it’s a problem exacerbated by how Bear thought that there was a way to make Nikki love him even in the face of the reality of his wish. The horror here isn’t just how twisted the possessed Nikki is, but also in Nikki losing her autonomy and being forced to be a passive victim because a man can’t say how he feels. Initially, Bear is presented as the shy nice guy who just wants to be loved. But his actions tell a different story, one of a man whose love of the concept of Nikki overrode his compassion and understanding of how Nikki may feel.
As is the case with any good piece of cinema, Obsession and its themes are up for interpretation. People can have their takes on who they think the real villain of the story is. But this nightmare Bear and Nikki go through could have been avoided if he had just told the truth. What’s even scarier is that there are a lot of people like Bear in this world, generally nice men who present themselves as the “nice guy” that just can’t say the right words and fall into their carnal desires when push comes to shove.
So maybe the lesson here is to be honest with your feelings and move on with life instead of turning to demonic magic to make things exponentially worse.
Obsession is screening in cinemas nationwide.
Featured Image and Photos: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
Obsession follows Bear and Nikki, two music store employees. When Bear uses a magical object called the One Wish Willow to make Nikki love him, she becomes possessed by an entity obsessed with him — leaving the real Nikki conscious but stripped of her autonomy, with devastating consequences.
Obsession was directed by Curry Barker, a Gen Z YouTuber-turned-filmmaker. The film is an indie horror production that has gained significant attention on social media for its subversive take on the obsessed girlfriend horror trope.
Nikki is played by Inde Navarrette, whose performance has been described as a breakthrough role. She portrays both the free-spirited Nikki audiences meet at the film’s opening and the possessed version whose sole focus becomes Bear.
The film positions Bear as morally responsible for the horror even if he is not conventionally villainous. His decision to use the One Wish Willow, his refusal to undo the wish, and his prioritization of his own desires over Nikki’s wellbeing and autonomy are framed as the root cause of the film’s events.
Rather than centering female obsession as the source of horror, Obsession reframes the narrative around male desire and control. Nikki’s possession originates from Bear’s wish, and the film argues that his inability to confront his feelings — and his subsequent refusal to undo the harm — is the more dangerous and pervasive terror.
