Here are three reasons why Obsession is such an unsettling horror movie that updates a classic tale

Please note that this article contains some spoilers for Obsession.

I'll admit that I wasn't keen to believe all of the hype about Obsession. While it's true that I found some of writer/director Curry Barker's YouTube films to be effective, I'm always leery to believe the buzz surrounding a film, especially when the first reviews follow film festivals, where there's already a lot of anticipation and excitement about first screenings. I tend to take film festival reviews with a grain of salt, considering the setting.

That said, Obsession did exceed my expectations, especially because of the way it handles its subject matter and delivers a stellar performance by Inde Navarrette as Nikki, the love interest of the film's protagonist, Bear (Michael Johnston). Here are some other reasons why Obsession is such an effective horror movie and the ways in which it updates a classic tale.

Obsession updates the classic "Monkey's Paw" narrative for the modern age

To be clear, Obsession's main concept isn't anything new. It's yet another take and fresh spin on W.W. Jacobs' "The Monkey's Paw," a short story from 1902 that's also referenced in Stephen King's non-fiction book Danse Macabre, which is his analysis of horror literature and film and different types of narratives that are retold in the genre. King even mentions that "The Monkey's Paw" is a frequent recycled idea. In Jacobs' story, a mummified monkey's paw greats three wishes, but with terrible consequences. It's a classic cautionary tale that never grows old.

Barker updates this idea for our modern, disconnected society. While Bear has friends, he pines over Nikki, his childhood friend and co-worker. He's an awkward young 20-something, and early in the movie, Barker places him center frame, often seated by himself, reinforcing his isolation and disconnect. Despite his strong feelings for Nikki, Bear struggles to communicate and openly express how he feels about her. He even practices a speech before his co-workers Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megal Lawless), when they're together at a diner in the movie's opening. I kept thinking about how Bear reminded me of all of these lonely young men we keep hearing about and "the male loneliness" epidemic. Over the last several years, this has become a major talking point and sparked debates, conversation, and countless blog posts.

Bear made me think of this because instead of just expressing his feelings to Nikki, without creeping her out, he buys the "One Wish Willow" and eventually wishes that Nikki love him more than anyone on Earth. It's a cheap way for her to give him attention, and because this is a horror movie and a retelling of "The Monkey's Paw," Bear's action has terrible consequences. Yet, Obsession works so well, in part, because Barker made an old storyline feel so fresh and interesting.

Bear can't handle what he wished for. The intense love and adoration Nikki shows him, possessed by the wish, so to speak, is more than he imagined. Once he has her up close and personal, instead of fawning over her and putting her on a pedestal, he retreats and this has dire consequences.

 Inde Navarrette gives a knockout performance in Obsession that elevates the movie

I really can't understate just how damn good Navarrette is in Obsession. She elevates this movie with her stellar performance. While doing the interview circuit, Navarrette cited Toni Collette's performance in Hereditary and Mia Goth's performance in Pearl as key influences. She recently said in an interview with Ashot magazine, "In terms of inspiration for Nikki, I love Mia Goth. She brings an element of relatability to all of her characters that makes you think, 'I understand you.' It doesn’t matter how the characters might be deemed in society or how they might be seen. I watched Pearl, for example, and I thought, 'I get you.' That’s what I wanted people’s response to Nikki to be. I wanted people to deeply feel what she’s going through."

As of right now, Navarrette's performance as Nikki is my favorite of any horror movie so far this year. Like the sources she cites as influences, she can be terrifying and then endearing the next moment. I suspect that this will be a performance people will be talking about for a long time, much like the roles she mentioned in that interview. She joins a long list of stellar performances by women in horror movies that deserve accolades. Additionally, this movie really wouldn't work nearly as well without Navarrette's commitment to the role and just how far she goes.

Curry Barker isn't afraid to push the limits and really show the depths of what obsession can mean

I have to hand it to Barker. He isn't afraid to go there and really test an audience's limits. Early in the runtime, Bear's cat dies after ingesting some of his pills accidently. Later in the movie, for whatever reason, Nikki cooks the cat and hides it in a sandwich that she packs in Bear's lunch, before he leaves for work. Much later in the movie, there's a head smashing scene that's one of the most violent sequences I've watched in a while. It drew quite the reaction from theater attendees when I saw the movie.

Yet, while the movie has a few resounding and memorable shock moments, it worked so well for me because of its exploration of love-struck obsession, and the depths Nikki goes to. For instance, there's one scene where she duct tapes the front door in the middle of the night, nearly preventing Bear from leaving for work the morning. In another sequence, she freaks everyone out at a party because of the amount of attention she gives Bear, even denying him the chance to kiss his Sarah during a game they play. It's all of these moments that make the movie so effective.

All of this leads to a dire ending, and again, another reason this movie works. Barker isn't concerned with giving the audience a happy ending where all of the monsters are defeated. In fact, I suspect some viewers will be left feeling uncomfortable by the ending, but that's okay. After all, isn't that the point of the classic "Monkey's Paw" tale? It's not supposed to offer a conclusion that's all sunshine and rainbows. Obsession, like the inspiration it's drawn from, is a cautionary tale and warning. The One Wish Willow has a clear set of rules, and Nikki and Bear were never going to get their happily ever moment before the credits rolled.

Obsession is currently playing in theaters.

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