Obsession: A Riveting Horror Outing That Finally Lives Up to the Hype (4K/Blu-ray)

The Film:

It seems like every year or two, a horror film comes along that gets everyone really riled up, causing critics to shower it with praise and act like it's one of the greatest things to come along in the genre for quite some time. The problem is, at least within the last several years, these films typically don't live up to the insane hype heaped upon them, making it seem like those doing the raving were simply too easily impressed by what they saw.

This year, the film in question is Curry Barker's "Obsession," a horror entry that has not only garnered quite a lot of praise from critics & audiences, but has also made cinema history by becoming the highest-grossing film with a budget under $1 million of all time, earning over $400 million worldwide on a budget of only $750,000. Could this finally be the one that breaks the streak and actually earns its accolades, or will it merely be another entry to toss on the pile that failed to do so?

The film follows "Bear" Bailey (Michael Johnston), who is having trouble expressing his romantic feelings for his friend Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette), with whom he works at a music store with their fellow friends Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless). When Nikki tells Bear that she accidentally dropped her necklace down the drain, he stops by a shop to get her a replacement, but instead gets her a strange little novelty item called a "One Wish Willow," which will supposedly grant one wish to whomever breaks it.

After bumbling an attempt to tell her how he feels, he decides to use the willow himself, wishing that he was the person that Nikki loved most in the world. Her behavior immediately begins to change, with her asking to stay over at his place. However, as she starts to act stranger and stranger, he soon discovers that this is not a simple infatuation, but rather a full-blown obsession, one that could become quite dangerous is he's unable to get it under control.

"Obsession" is one of those films that could easily take the viewer off-guard, especially those going in expecting to see a typical kind of relationship where one person has a strong attraction to another, and not the kind that shows just how deep such an obsession can become. However, this latter portion is exactly what Curry Barker has done in a rather marvelous fashion, exploring those very deep & dark depths to which obsession can go when it's turned to the max. He's taken a relatively simple concept, cranked it to 11, and let it fly out of control, and in the process, has given us one of the most riveting horror films to come along in quite some time, one that, for once, earns the hype that has been surrounding it ever since it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year.

For this accomplishment, credit must be given exactly where it's due, which in this case goes not only to Barker for his bonkers screenplay & skilled direction, but also very much to Inde Navarette, who truly brings out the horrific nature of the premise as she goes all-in for her committed performance as Nikki. The rest of the cast is perfectly fine, but if Navarette hadn't been willing to go this all-out, the film simply wouldn't have worked nearly half as well as it does, or have been anywhere near as memorable. You may recall that just earlier this year, we saw Amy Madigan win an Oscar for her chilling turn in "Weapons," marking a rare instance where the Academy acknowledged a horror performance. Let's just say that Navarette very much deserves to be in the same conversation.

When it comes right to it, "Obsession" works best when you know as little detail as possible. Knowing the basic premise is fine, but it's really one of those movies that you just experience and marvel at how far it's willing to push the idea. It's an absolute treat for horror fans, and a nice breath of fresh air for a genre that has indeed been struggling a bit lately to come up with something special and out-of-the-ordinary. It's exceedingly rare that a film like this can show audiences something shocking & unique, but Barker has surprisingly done just that with "Obsession," leaving us with what is simply one of the best films of the year.

Video/Audio:

"Obsession" comes to 4K in a 1.50:1, 2160p Ultra High Definition transfer of stunning quality. The picture is beautifully sharp & clear throughout the film's entire 109-minute duration, maintaining its unique & claustrophobic aspect ratio and perfectly capturing the important lighting set-ups throughout. Likewise, the Dolby Atmos audio track is marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and music in excellent quality. Overall, Universal has done a fantastic job in both areas for the film's 4K debut.

Special Features:

Feature Commentary with Director/Writer/Editor Curry Barker

Obsession Unleashed (19 Minutes): A behind-the scenes look at the film, featuring interviews with Barker and the cast.

Conclusion:

Curry Barker's "Obsession" is a shocking & riveting breath of fresh air for a genre that has been struggling to give audiences something truly unique & memorable lately, one that's all the more impressive for Barker's ability to take a relatively simple concept and deliver a horror outing that's completely out-of-the-ordinary. Simply put, it's one of the very rare entries in the genre that actually lives up to the hype, ultimately making for one of the year's best films.

Score: 4/5

Available on 4K starting tomorrow.

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