Be careful what you wish for. That seems to be the motto of this year’s biggest horror sensation, and one that has surprised everyone, especially when you consider that it was made from an estimated budget of $750,000. The film has already taken in nearly $300,000,000 worldwide. If writer and director Curry Barker had wished for a hit, he has certainly got one, because not only is this outstripping the likes of The Mandalorian and Grogu in box office takings, but he has produced one of the best horrors this year. A neat trick considering how many of this genre have been released this year.

Bear is an awkward, shy young man who works in a music shop and has a huge crush on his co-worker and friend, Nikki. Unable to bring himself to share his feelings for her, he stumbles on a gimmicky toy called “One Wish Willow” in a gift shop. He breaks the stick and wishes that Nikki would love him. Nikki does exactly that, but there seems to be something far more sinister happening.

Barker’s film works on so many levels. It has an air of Takashi Miike’s 1999 terrifying horror film Audition, where obsession pushes the boundaries of love to the limit. Bear’s inability to act on his feelings and share this love for Nikki leads him to desperation, as he turns to an object hidden in a gift shop that he doesn’t believe will work. Only when Nikki starts throwing herself at Bear does he realise this might not be just a toy.

What the film does so cleverly is take its time. It doesn’t rush to get to the horror. In fact, like Audition, it’s quite a slow burner, as we see the relationship slowly get out of control, with Nikki becoming increasingly unbalanced to the point that she cannot leave a room without him wanting to be with her. This unhinged behaviour really shows when she invites herself to a party and, along with the strangely demonic laughter, reveals exactly how far she has gone to win Bear’s affections.

It does raise the question of controlling behaviour: by Bear’s use of the One Wish Willow, he has everything he ever wanted, but at the same time, Nikki’s uncontrollable behaviour could be seen as the same, as she starts doing very dangerous things. Barker also creates an air of unimaginable terror, with moments when Nikki hides in dark corners or in lighting that casts her in silhouette, making the situation even more chilling.

For a film that costs so little, it just goes to show that you don’t need millions of dollars to capture an audience and sustain a strong level of intrigue that by the third act, the whole thing is one long nightmare, and brutally so. Horror movies use jump scares and over-the-top gore to keep audiences on their toes. This does it with little more than mood, lighting, and music. As well as two outstanding performances from the leads.

Michael Johnston, best known for the TV series Teen Wolf, is perfectly cast as Bear, a man who is a walking bag of self-doubt. It is painful to watch at the beginning as he is infatuated with Nikki, but this soon turns to all-out terror when she becomes obsessive. As Nikki, Inde Navarrette gives one of the best performances in a horror movie, switching from a regular girl who gives money to beggars to a walking nightmare, going from almost demonic levels of evil to a cute girlfriend. It is a stunning and often shocking performance, and I can only say that she is an actress to watch.

Obsession has been playing on my mind since I saw it, and I have changed my mind about it several times. It not only offers one of the most satisfying, if wildly deranged, horrors in years, but it is genuinely terrifying and will quite possibly end up in my films of the year.

5 out of 5

Director: Curry Barker

Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter, Haley Fitzgerald, Darin Toonder, Anthony Pavone, Justice

Written by: Curry Barker

Running Time: 108 mins

Cert: 18

Release date: 15th May 2026