Obsession Review: I was expecting it to be a typical supernatural horror story and I was pleasantly surprised at how effective it was in morphing a standard concept into an unsettling and truly disturbing experience. The movie is based on a basic, and, for most of us, familiar message: “Beware of what you ask for.” The tale of a man who longs for a woman, and falls in love with her, evolves into something far more sinister than ghost, and monster – in fact, than anything.
The tale unfolds with Bear (Michael Johnston) a man stuck in the loneliness of unrequitted love. To please Nikki, he reaches out to another, enigmatic supernatural object called the One Wish Willow. It’s a very simple but risky idea. Crush it under your foot – make a wish – and it will come true. He feels he’s found the right solution to his romantic woes but it quickly turns into a hideous error. Then, for a short time, the film is almost a romance as Nikki falls in love with him. But such is not the case. The attraction soon turns into a nightmare as Nikki’s love begins to turn violent, possessive and uncontrollable. The movie is a good exploration of the terrible effects of controlling someone else’s feelings and will.
Writer, director and editor Curry Barker gets a lot of credit for producing a tense tone that is maintained through the film. Horror films of the modern day tend to be hefty on special effects, elaborate creatures, or excessive jump scares. In Obscession, it is a different track. Barker emphasizes psychological discomfort, and gradually increasing fear. Tension is carefully and patiently developed throughout the film, and the audience is drawn deeper into the escalating unease. Consequently, I was more into it than ever before and curious as to how far the insanity would reach.
Inde Navarrette’s performance as Nikki is undoubtedly the standout feature of the film. Her act is what’s beating in the film. It’s a fascinating and frightening experience to watch her metamorphose from an average young woman to a dangerously obsessive lover. There’s no overdoing it, so that the progression is even more unsettling. Each expression, each change in behavior, each instance of emotional breakdown is a character marking that makes him or her truly disturbing. The film caters into a universal fantasy: unconditional love; and skillfully spins it into a nightmare situation and forces you to question whether or not such love would be desirable.
Also good is Michael Johnston as Bear. His portrayal of the character’s desperation is honest, of the poor judgment he exhibits, and of the terror he experiences. As the consequences of his wish become more and more dire, his escalating degree of panic becomes believable. The film’s success lies in the fact that both of the main characters are solid, and the horror arises from the characters, not the supernatural elements.
What impressed me was the way that the film was able to utilize the sound. The background score is a key element in sustaining the tension. Instead of loud noises, the music builds the discomfort and suspense. Add to this the excellent acting and you have an overall feel that is often far more suitably described as creepy than many more elaborate budget horror films.
The presentation of the film may catch the eyes of the audience at first glance. Obsession has an aspect ratio of 1.50:1, which means that it has black bars at the side of the screen and a taller image composition. This might be a bit of an adjustment, particularly for those who are used to watching TV in the traditional wide-screen aspect ratio. But I was not noticing it after some time. The format works wonderfully with the claustrophobic atmosphere of the film in fact and adds to its unease.
Unfortunately, there are censorship problems in the Indian version of the movie. There are several intimate scenes and even some of the more savage and brutal moments have been cut. The cuts sometimes have a negative effect on the impact of some scenes and the theatrical experience is somewhat incomplete even though the film has an 18 rating. People who want to see the film the way it was meant to be seen, might prefer the uncut version on digital release.
I have seen this movie in English, which is now the film’s main format. But those who do not understand the English language may encounter some challenges. Subtitles were not provided at my screening. The lack of that could restrict access to a segment of the audience.
In general, Obsession is a success because it knows that fear is not necessarily what occurs when a person is a ghoul or a vampire, but can be the result of emotional extremes. It turns love into fear, lust into terror, and passion into a deadly trap. It has a great central concept, intelligent direction, terrific atmosphere and great performances and is quite an engaging horror thriller.
Rating: 4/5
