Obsession is obsessed with YOU

It is!

So I watched Obsession the other day (A MONTH AGO NOW SMH). It's a small indie developed horror film directed by Curry Barker, YouTuber, filmmaker, writer extraordinaire. It cost $750,000 to make and is about to break records for being the most profitable film of all time currently at $370 million at the box office.

To put that in perspective, a movie is deemed profitable if it hits over double its budget. Let's round up the budget to a million for a second. This movie got 370 that.

How the heck did writer/director Curry Barker and his incredibly talented cast and crew achieve this? Hard work. But also good writing.

This is the point of this post.

Spoilers ahead. The long story short is that the characters are very well written.

Obsession is obsessed with you.

The concept of this film isn't all that unique. Possessed by some supernatural wish, Nicki's will is not her own and as such it ruins her life and the people around her.

I read somewhere that Obsession succeeds where others fail in its execution. But what the heck does that mean? What is execution? Is it when the head rolls?

I'll be real, I dunno. Mainly because I think this film succeeds from its conception.

A love spell gone wrong has been done a million times. A love spell gone wrong that continues to go wrong because the perpetrators of the spell is a moron hasn't. Obsession separates itself from the rest of the films in this genre with its characters. Mainly the main character though.

After I watched the movie, a few friends were quick to point out that the protagonist was an absolute spineless moron. That's completely valid and actually very true. But at the same time, he's the reason we keep watching the film and keep wanting more.

At the start of the film Baron gains our sympathy through the simple mechanism of having a relatable situation and a tragic situation befall him.

1. He's got a crush on a girl and wants to ask her out but is shy.
2. His cat dies in an unexpected way.

Instantly, they got us at least sympathising with his situation. There's no reason to think he's not a good guy. So far his only desire in the entire film is to ask out Nikki. At this point is a victim and has a heroic quest at hand.

While visiting a magic shop to buy a crystal to impress Nikki's, he finds a wish stick. Apparently if you break it and make a wish it comes true. Apparently.

While he's in the climax of confessing his feelings to Nikki, Baron consistently fails to successfully express himself. She even gives him a slam dunk of an opportunity to do so. He still plays it off as a shy cringe moronic stupid dumbass idiot who makes us hate him for being an idiot.

He then takes the wish stick and cracks a wish about Nikki loving him. What a smart guy. “Can't do something? Ask a magic stick for help.” Moron.

It works and Nikki falls in love with him in the worst possible way. She becomes “obsessed”.

So anyway plot happens, happy days, etc etc.

After the rainbow comes the storm. The Baron Obsession Loop begins. Just kidding. The loop has already started.

Stage 1

Baron finds himself in a situation and opportunity that is “nice”.

Examples:

• Nikki “loves” him and they get along very well
• Nikki “loves” him and they get along very well again
• Other girl likes him and they get along very well

Stage 2

Baron finds himself in a “victim” situation that makes us feel bad for him.

Examples:

• Nikki abuses him
• Nikki abuses him again
• Nikki abuses his friends
• Nikki ends his friend life

Stage 3

Baron finds an opportunity to free Nikki from the cursed wish.

Examples:

• Real Nikki wakes up and night and asks Baron to end her (i.e., he finds out the truth of the wish)
• Baron gets more wish sticks to have other people break so Nikki can be freed
• Baron ends himself

Stage 4

Technically the Stage that started it all. Baron does something evil and prolongs Nikki’s abuse. Because Nikki is obviously the only victim in this situation.

Examples

• Baron ignores real Nikki’s plea
• Baron is incapable of explaining to his friend how to do a proper wish to free her
• Baron is incapable of following through with the “right thing” because ultimately he is a coward

And then we go back to start.

The Baron Obsession Loop

This isn't the best explanation but I hope it makes sense.

Simply put, it is an irritating hero's journey that never resolves itself. Baron never grows as a person and always finds himself at the start of his situation. There is never a resolution because at the end of the day he is not a good person. He's obsessive.

He's the real obsession guy. Obviously.

I feel like a lot of people have spoken about this movie and have broken down the depth that it has in store, but I haven't seen anyone talk about the addictive loop (probably because I haven't looked for it tbf). The writing is very good.

Obsession is obsessed with our attention. We just want to see a man grow. It's a part of life. Except he never does. He comes close but never touches development.

Have you seen this movie? Did you like it? Tell me. Please. Before I wish it.