Obsession has taken the world by storm. It started as an indie movie with nothing but an original script and one hell of a dream. But it’s gone far beyond the scope of what director Curry Barker ever expected it would be, becoming the decade’s highest-grossing original film, bringing in over $500M worldwide during its theatrical run, and ranking among the best-performing horror movies of all time. And now, after all that, it’s heading to the platform that had the audacity to suggest a straight-to-streaming release before Focus Features picked it up.
Netflix, which initially offered to debut the movie on its platform instead of via a theatrical release, is now where Obsession will make its home. Talking about his prior experience with the streamer, Barker said, “They put in an offer to just put it straight on Netflix.” And while fans are thrilled that it’s now available to stream on one of the most widely used platforms, no one is wishing that Netflix had won that original bidding war. So if you’ve been hoping to watch this particular horror movie from the comfort of your own couch, you’ll officially be able to do so as of November 17th.
Six months after its theatrical release, Obsession is still holding on to a stellar score with both critics and audiences, who rated it 93% and 94%, respectively. Critic Simon Thompson says, “If you care about original horror movies in any way, shape, or form, go and see Obsession at the first chance you get. This is a first class horror movie in its deft combination of old and new ideas and genuinely palpable sense of terror.” And it’s true that Obsession is a testament to the power of, and desire for, original films—something that audiences seem to have been craving in the current landscape of legacy franchises and unending sequels.
Speaking to the desire for more original films, as well as more horror in general, one viewer laid it out succinctly, saying, “Curry Barker’s choice to cast fresh, largely unknown faces is what makes Obsession work. With no star baggage, every character feels real, and every scare hits harder. The film belongs to Inde Navarrette. Barker keeps the story locked on Nikki, and she shifts between tenderness and something deeply unsettling with total control. And through Bear, the film nails something painfully familiar: men will always find a way to victimize themselves, no matter the circumstances. A sharp reminder that betting on new talent and handing a woman the full weight of a story pays off.”
Overall, Obsession deserves every bit of hype and each flower that it’s gotten since it hit theaters, proving that original stories, especially original horror stories with women at the forefront, will always be something that audiences crave.
