In Obsession, an awkward young man gets more than he bargained for when he wishes for his crush to love him back with the help of a gag gift from a novelty store. After a rocky start, Bear gets what he wanted… sort of… before his relationship with Nikki takes a series of increasingly bizarre turns and goes completely off the rails.
In his feature film debut, writer, director, and editor Curry Barker demonstrates one of those uniquely original voices that makes us rethink what a horror movie can be, shocking even genre buffs and video reviewers who think they have seen it all. With tips of the cap to The Twilight Zone and Get Out, the script takes us places we have never been, growing deeper and darker while maintaining a surprising amount of humor in perfect balance.
The performances help tremendously, with the lead actors bringing a naturalistic edginess that ensures we never quite know what to expect next. Props to newcomer Inde Navarrette as Nikki, who is so terrifying that she reportedly made her costars, and herself, quite uncomfortable.
The movie is presented in the unusual 1.5:1 aspect ratio, with vertical black bars on the left and right and occasional elements within the frame that add to the sense of claustrophobia, as though the characters are trapped in their predicament. Director of photography Taylor Clemons often backlights the actors to creepy effect, but the high dynamic range preserves ample facial detail, while the precise image reveals haphazard shaving stubble, the fine fibers of a sweater, and the uneven degrees of focus within the frame.
You could call the sonic jolts in Obsession’s Dolby Atmos mix “jump scares,” but not in the same way as in, say, a Freddy or Jason style slasher. Instead, an abrupt beat might trigger the question, “What the hell is she going to do next?” The answer: Nothing good. Hard offscreen cues do a good job of establishing three-dimensional space, while Rock Burwell’s musical score envelops us but also bludgeons us from time to time, leaving us exhausted by the end credits.
Barker’s audio commentary track is definitely worth a listen for the infectious energy of a filmmaker at the top of his game. In a hurry? Check out the 19-minute “Obsession Unleashed” featurette, which also brings in the principal actors to share their own behind-the-scenes tidbits. The two-disc set includes an HD Blu-ray of the movie with the same extras, plus a 4K Movies Anywhere digital copy code.
This is definitely one I’ll be watching again, which is another reason physical media rocks. There are plenty of clues and little Easter eggs waiting to be discovered and dissected, a testament to the thoroughly smart script and the clever way Barker executes his twisty vision.
Movie Details
- STUDIO: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
- FORMAT: Ultra HD 4K Blu-ray (July 14, 2026)
- THEATRICAL RELEASE YEAR: 2026
- ASPECT RATIO: 1.50:1
- HDR FORMATS: Dolby Vision, HDR10
- AUDIO FORMAT: Dolby Atmos with TrueHD 7.1 core
- LENGTH: 109 mins.
- MPAA RATING: R
- DIRECTOR: Curry Barker
- STARRING: Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter, Darin Toonder
Our Ratings
★★★★★★★★★★ Movie
★★★★★★★★★★ Picture
★★★★★★★★★★ Sound
★★★★★★★★★★ Extras
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