Obsession (2026)
One of the most divisive films we've covered - atmospheric, uncomfortable and impossible to agree on.
We watched Obsession as a group and honestly, this might be one of the most divisive films weâve covered on the blog so far đ Aditya absolutely loved it and came out of the theatre singing its praises. Meanwhile, Abhinav and I were sitting there wondering if we had watched the same movie.
And of course, all hail the CBFC - the Indian version has multiple cuts, including a few scenes that felt important to the story. Because of that, there were moments where the film felt a little disjointed, almost like pieces of the puzzle were missing.
So instead of forcing a score on this one, weâre doing something different: hereâs why this film might work for you and why it absolutely didnât work for some of us.
Why this film will work for you
(shared by Aditya)
If you LOVE horror, go in blind and if you enjoy horror films that focus more on atmosphere than traditional storytelling, thereâs a good chance this one will work for you. The aspect ratio creates this lingering sense of paranoia and unease throughout the film, making even simple scenes feel uncomfortable in the best way possible. The editing and sound design are genuinely impressive. A lot of the tension comes from how the film is presented rather than what is actually happening on screen, and that approach clearly worked for me. The central performance is just phenomenal. Watching Nikki slowly transform throughout the film was easily one of the highlights and honestly, one of the main reasons the film remains engaging even during its slower moments.
If youâre the kind of horror fan who enjoys leaving a theatre with questions and immediately discussing theories afterwards, this film might end up being one of your favourites of the year.
Why this film wonât work for you
The best parts of the film are easily the performances and the way it is shot - even if some of the long and close-up shots used to create tension often amounted into nothing.
But for Abhinav and me, the biggest problems were the other aspects of the film.
We donât watch a lot of horror films and I definitely donât seek them out often, but if the story is compelling enough, we are completely on board. Our favourite example is Alan Wake 2 (yes, itâs a video game, yes, Iâm bringing it up again and yes, Iâll continue bringing it up forever đ). The reason that game worked so well for both me & Abhinav wasnât just the horror - it was the incredible story and atmosphere working together.
Even on the film side, something like Dead Silence worked for me because beneath all the creepy stuff, there was an actual mystery that kept me invested.
With Obsession, I kept waiting for the film to dive deeper into the lore of the Wishing Willow. How exactly does it work? How does it influence people? What is actually happening to Nikki? The film hints at interesting ideas but never really explores them in a satisfying way. Instead, a lot of the unhinged moments just felt random rather than building toward something meaningful (or sensible?).
And honestly, if I had been watching this at home instead of in a theatre, thereâs a good chance I wouldâve reached for the fast-forward button at some point đ
Also, what was going on with the lighting, man? I get that itâs supposed to be a dark, atmospheric horror film, but there were multiple scenes where I just wanted to yell, âPlease let me see whatâs happening.â Darkness can build tension but sometimes it felt like the movie was actively hiding itself.
At the end of the day, Obsession is probably one of the most divisive films we've covered on the blog. Aditya walked out loving almost everything about it, while Abhinav and I spent most of the ride back discussing what didn't work for us. And honestly? That's probably the best way to describe this film. You're either going to be completely obsessed with it... or spend two hours wondering what everyone else is seeing!
⨠Have you watched this film? Share your thoughts below!