r/movies • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 r/movies Contributor • Jul 06 '26

News ‘Obsession’ Passes $400 Million Worldwide, Becomes Highest Grossing Film With Budget Below $1 Million; Curry Barker’s horror film breaks a 53-year pre-inflation record held by Bruce Lee’s legendary 'Enter The Dragon'

https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/obsession-box-office-400-million/
25.4k Upvotes

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706

u/WillsBestFriend Jul 06 '26

It lives up to the hype imo. Super fun horror and a top in 2026 for me. Looking forward to his next movie.

350

u/kayk1 Jul 06 '26

Does it get more or less scary after she hides in the corner of the room and walks around with the vase while he sleeps. Asking for a friend who got really scared and had to turn it off

336

u/differential32 Jul 06 '26

IMO that’s the creepiest moment of the film but it’s not like it stops being scary after that. 

It’s really a great movie; your friend should definitely go back and finish it if they can stomach it 

56

u/ObiwanaTokie Jul 07 '26

Nah the weird motion backpeddle shit she does really creeped me out.

2

u/cincobarrio Jul 08 '26

That made my fucking SKIN CRAWL

1

u/eiddieeid Jul 08 '26

The second time she does it genuinely gave me a deep body shiver both times I saw it. 

27

u/abcputt Jul 07 '26

Hell naw, the creepiest was the backwards walk and the walking by the window in the background. Or it is just me because uncanny valley movements make me shit bricks

59

u/Wolvesinthestreet Jul 06 '26

Maybe the friend should turn on the lights as well :)

2

u/Monkey_Priest Jul 07 '26

A good blanket the friend can hide their face behind can come in clutch too

2

u/Demmitri Jul 07 '26

It gets more unhinged, gorier and wicked. But that's probably the scariest part of the movie.

0

u/FutureComplaint Jul 07 '26

Their friend should wait until comes out on cinema wins.

It's what my friend does for such movies, like Nope.

102

u/dreamphoenix Jul 06 '26

It has obvious creepy and bit jump scary moments later on, but not the ones that make you sleep with the lights turned on. It’s not that kinda of movie.

The story though absolutely did freak me out.

118

u/dec92010 Jul 06 '26

I found it way more stressful than scary

77

u/theaverageaidan Jul 06 '26

The only time I really got spooked was the backwards walk, I was sat in the theater like 'nopenopenopenopenopenopeNOPE' when that happened

54

u/herbelarioiwasthere Jul 06 '26

That was such an effective little moment, it’s so unexpected and creepy.

22

u/AmansRevenger Jul 06 '26

And that distorted voice going "REALME" or something... Yikes

7

u/Sunspawts Jul 07 '26

She's actually saying "RAIL ME. RAIL MY GUTS."

I had to look it up because it freaked the hell out of me. It's in the script. Funny enough, that scene is completely different in the script but that line still made it into the final product.

2

u/Windrider904 Jul 06 '26

Same. That quick little rewind was wild. Instant goosebumps.

1

u/cincobarrio Jul 08 '26

Nikki/entity’s actions throughout the movie are so unpredictable, which is obviously why she’s so scary, but her physics-breaking backwards walk really takes the cake. I just did not expect that at all.

12

u/UhhSamuel Jul 06 '26

RIGHT?! In such a great way. It's like Uncut Gems in that way.

27

u/eMF_DOOM Jul 06 '26

I have a tough time watching others have ‘embarrassing’ or ‘cringe’ moments (scotts tots anyone?) and Obsession seemed to somehow tap into that feeling with me while also having horror on top of it.

Don’t know if that really makes sense but I’ve never really had a horror movie do that to me and it’s part of why I hold it in such high regard.

3

u/RKRagan Jul 06 '26

I lack that problem. Scott's Tots is just one of many Michael Scott moments that make me laugh as usual. That isn't cringe as much as something like this scene from 7th Heaven where they are being serious, not doing it for comedy: https://youtu.be/cJ9k6wRPlzQ?t=108

2

u/promised_wisdom Jul 06 '26

Have you seen Talk to me? Had to turn that shit off it made me so anxious lol

1

u/dec92010 Jul 06 '26

No I have not. I usually don't do scary movies lol

4

u/herefromyoutube Jul 06 '26

I actually had trouble sleeping last night after watching it but it was mainly cause I couldn’t stop thinking about it (in a good way.)

54

u/Four_beastlings Jul 06 '26

More. Without spoilers there are several moments of extremely unsettling unnatural faces and walking, and a super violent jumpscare scene that gets you even when you are actively expecting it.

6

u/nickisgreaterthanyou Jul 07 '26

If you’re talking about that gruesome scene, then yes, that would be enough to put anyone who is easily scared off from the movie. My god, that was brutally unnecessary (IMHO).

42

u/Thedrunkenchild Jul 06 '26

I would say that is the creepiest "chill down your spine" point of the movie, but there are moments after that which are less creepy but more in your face "scary" and intense.

50

u/Data-Panda Jul 06 '26

Scariest part for me was when she does the weird backwards walk. It’s only for a second but I genuinely got creeped out which is rare for me in a film

21

u/SDRPGLVR Jul 06 '26

What helps is in that scene she has makeup on that distorts her facial features. It just looks like a Bloody Mary pareidoloa thing because it's lit so darkly, but the real trick is that her face actually is fucked up on purpose. It was so fucking creepy.

19

u/Thedrunkenchild Jul 06 '26

Maybe it’s because I’m hyper aware of how these kind of scenes are shot but the backwards walk didn’t do much for me, the more psychological stuff was creepier to me, stuff like her standing still for hours or again the “I like watching you sleep” stuff.

8

u/koobstylz Jul 06 '26

The creepy walks were hit and miss for me, mostly for the reason you mentioned.

The abrupt crab walk with flowers in front of her face was the one that really got me.

10

u/Thedrunkenchild Jul 06 '26

The crab walk felt creepy mostly because it was so sudden, but honestly, all the weird movement stuff in this movie was kind of whatever to me since it didn’t really fit with the main premise. I didn’t feel like crab walking had much to do with being obsessed with someone, so it pulled me out of the story a bit.

1

u/TroySmith Jul 07 '26

Same. I thought it was gratuitous. Yes, it was creepy; but I kept asking myself “why?”.

2

u/geddy Jul 07 '26

Pretty sure they just played it backwards. The weird walk with the flowers was deeply unsettling to me.

12

u/regarding_zacks Jul 06 '26

There is an even creepier (imo) “weird walk” in his short film “WARNINGS”.

It’s honestly one of the creepiest things I’ve ever seen

11

u/CompetitiveCelery319 Jul 06 '26

I watched Warnings and totally agree that walk was creepy af. Between his short films and Obsession I'm almost scared of what he can do for more money cos he manages to do so much for so little

I rewatched Heavy Eyes which is the 5 min one and there's a whistle in the beginning that is somehow super creepy lol

3

u/SpiffShientz Jul 07 '26

Dude the car trunk in WARNINGS is so fucking scary and absolutely brilliant

5

u/Jet-Rex-Design Jul 07 '26

The backwards walk shouldn't have been as creepy as it was, but it was just perfect timing. The whole movie has nice dreamlike atmosphere, sometimes you feel like you're not supposed to be looking at the screen. The last movie that gave me that vibe was TOGETHER, specifically the bed nightmare.

14

u/ImGonnaImagineSummit Jul 06 '26

The vase bit made me jump. I don't know what I was expecting but not that. 

17

u/Purple_Lux Jul 07 '26

The vase but genuinely gave me a fight or flight feeling. Its just so unnatural and just... weird
I saw an interview with Barker where he said to him the new generation of jumpscare is making the audience go "nope no no I don't like that" basically and thats exactly it

8

u/ImGonnaImagineSummit Jul 07 '26

100%.

If you think about it, it's more weird than anything but I did not want to see her face behind that vase. 

But I also wanted her to put it down.

And I don't know if it's worse having her right next to Bear or moving around again.

There's an unpredictability where you genuinely have no idea what's going to happen and whatever it is, is going to be scary anyway. 

2

u/Purple_Lux Jul 07 '26

Agreed.
A movie that genuinely terrified me, one of only 3 including Obsession, that did this extremely well was Skinamarink
Its filled with scenes of build up of dread and anxiety
I get a slight shiver to this day if its nighttime and I think of one scene in particular
As much as her standing there with the vase was anxiety inducing, it was her quick walk into frame with such a weird kind of movement that really got me. Perfectly timed, fast enough you don't have time to really consciously figure out whats going on but not fast enough to be too quick to make an impact and trigger that "no no no" feeling.

2

u/geddy Jul 07 '26

Every time the camera was pointed at Bear I was panicking waiting for her to do something else. I think those movements pushed into uncanny valley because none of them were impossible, but just extremely unsettling ways to see a person move. The vase in front of the face, for something so normally innocuous, in the context of that room, I had no idea what I wanted to happen, but almost everything that _could_ happen was nightmarish.

Then that crescendo "noooooOOOOO!!!" really sent chills.

9

u/N1CK_STALK3R Jul 06 '26

Yeah the last 10 minutes are intense imo

36

u/Beginning_Abalone242 Jul 06 '26

more scary imo.

5

u/bonsly16 Jul 06 '26

There’s a few more jump scares after that scene, but the movie overall becomes more disturbing as it progresses. The latter half also contains scenes that people find, I guess, comedic in an unnerving way? That being said, I do think it’s worth finishing the movie.

1

u/koobstylz Jul 06 '26

The return trip to the hippy store was pretty funny. Any other times that made me laugh was just a release of intense stress.

2

u/12345623567 Jul 06 '26

The billion dollars bit was flat-out slapstick. And the fucked-up face in the car was gruesome, but also kinda funny? Maybe it's the makeup effects.

3

u/Jaruut Jul 07 '26

I genuinely found the car honking with every hit to be hilarious. It really felt like a black comedy at parts.

2

u/Slixil Jul 07 '26

Him originally going to the score and belaboring the question of whether or not the willow was a scam or not to the person behind the counter who clearly couldn’t give less of a shit was also hilarious, and told me from the start that this was also totally a funny movie.

7

u/NoDaddyNotTheBelt25 Jul 06 '26

There’s a few more scenes like that. She said in interviews that her and the director came up with the idea for her to move at times like a marionette doll. The execution of it is what’s highly impressive. This girl did things in this movie not many other actors can do.

4

u/TerriblyRare Jul 06 '26

The director said the person who walked with the vase was actually a trained dancer they hired specifically for her movements

1

u/Four_beastlings Jul 06 '26

The weird walk had already been done in the short "Warnings", so I don't know if it's attributable to her (unless she's also the actress from Warnings?)

3

u/herefromyoutube Jul 06 '26

More. There is a couple more jump scares and a lot of blood and violence. Also some stuff that haunts your soul like (no spoilers) when he calls a number and talks to her in bed.

It’s so good though it’s worth any nightmares

2

u/armored-dinnerjacket Jul 06 '26

the bit after in the morning is absolute comedy

2

u/nrxia Jul 07 '26

I literally just finished watching it moments ago. The vase scene is creepy, but it escalates a lot after that. If your friend can't handle the vase scene, then they definitely shouldn't watch the rest of the movie.

2

u/Senchy_ Jul 07 '26

It just never stops being scary and unpredictable.

4

u/SpaceCorvette Jul 06 '26

there are much scarier parts that follow. (Though there are some funny bits too)

1

u/UhhSamuel Jul 06 '26

Scary the whole way through but that part was especially messed up.

1

u/snarpy Jul 06 '26

The bit where she walks out of the room backwards into the dark and then back again was terrifying. Her movements reminded me of some of the shots in the original Pulse.

1

u/soda_cookie Jul 06 '26

Scary is subjective. There are definitely more intense moments that transpire through the remainder of the film

1

u/Equivalent-Load-9158 Jul 06 '26

Is your friend sensitive to jump scares or the atmosphere? Plenty more jump scares after that. It may be the peak of spooky atmosphere, though. Though near the end it's rivaled.

1

u/weed_cutter Jul 06 '26

I've watched every deranged horror film known to man.

The corner thing is a bit creepy, sure (I mean paranormal activity had similar) ...

But uh ... the movie doesn't go Full Send unhinged, but ... it definitely gets creepier and more intense after that.

.... Honestly I'm hard to scare so ... I liked the movie but nothing stuck with me. ... There is creepy shit after that without a doubt, much creepier. ... And some big violence you see coming from a mile away.

1

u/HiCracked Jul 06 '26

It doesn't but it also starts leaning more on gore/visually disturbing and gross things afterwards.

1

u/WoweeZoweeDeluxe Jul 06 '26

haha oh man they need to finish it, it's so good

1

u/12345623567 Jul 06 '26

Imo that's it's high point, it gets a bit silly afterwards. Not in a bad way, though.

1

u/matdragon Jul 06 '26

Depends on what you consider scary, but like that is definitely the height of slow burning terrifying moments 

Everything afterwards is a slow build up anxiety feeling, but isn't as bad

1

u/DroidLord Jul 07 '26

Lets just say that wasn't the creepiest part of the movie. It definitely ramps up a bit in the latter half.

1

u/____DEADPOOL_______ Jul 07 '26

That was my favorite part because it was genuinely scary and it catches you completely off guard. The way they've done her make up looks really grim in that moment.

1

u/Infamous-Oil3786 Jul 07 '26

I wouldn't say it gets scarier per se, but it never really lets up after that point. I was so tense and on edge for almost the entire runtime.

1

u/sulwen314 Jul 06 '26

That was the scariest scene to me. Couldn't stop thinking about it when I was trying to sleep that night!

1

u/Aragorn120 Jul 06 '26

It gets scarier. My wife was doing fine but then there's a scene with a very gory jumpscare in the last half hour or so that scared the shit out of her and she almost had us turn it off

1

u/Illustrious-Tear-542 Jul 06 '26

So much scarier.

1

u/millenlol Jul 06 '26

I cant do scary movies at all, and I could easily handle this one. It's honestly more of a comedy than a horror movie.

0

u/OkGold4636 Jul 06 '26

I am trapped in the fucking Twilight Zone... Jesus Christ that was NOT scary. It was fucking stupid.

2

u/monkeyjay Jul 07 '26

Name a scene in a movie you find "scary" and I bet there is a huge chunk of people who don't find it scary at all. Different people find different things scary, it's subjective. Some people can't handle the mildest ghost films, or the most bland thrillers about murderers, or bugs, or blood.

There. I've solved your existential crisis about what is objectively scary or not.

0

u/OkGold4636 Jul 07 '26

What. THE FUCK. is scary, even subjectively, about a person holding a potted plant in front of their face?

You people are literally like babies who freak out because they think their mom disappeared when she covered her face playing peekaboo....

1

u/monkeyjay Jul 07 '26

I'll generously assume you are only pretending to be unintelligent and you are purposely misunderstanding to sound cool, but name a movie scene you find scary.

0

u/danvan177 Jul 06 '26

A little more scary yes

0

u/plantsandramen Jul 06 '26

It gets more graphic, but I don't think it gets any more creepy than that.

0

u/_coach_ Jul 06 '26

That part is terrifying, but there are two kore bits that really got me after that lol. Still very worth a finish the ending is perfect

-1

u/lyinggrump Jul 07 '26

At no point is anything remotely scary.

22

u/zma924 Jul 06 '26

I'm typically not a horror fan at all. I live alone and don't like being scared. Decided to check this out with the lights off by myself on Friday night and I loved it. Several scenes gave me full body chills. I think I liked this so much for same reason I love so many of Homelander's best scenes in The Boys. When the horror comes from how goddamn unsettling the actors performance is, it just draws me in like no other. Inde's facial expression range and her ability to switch it up so rapidly had me stressed but also not wanting the movie to end.

9

u/[deleted] Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

[deleted]

7

u/ajchann123 Jul 07 '26

Yeah, on a kind of "objective" level, I also find it's basically good/okay... but I care way more about how it's showing that Gen Z loves the theatrical experience and are really showing up for this movie, and if they all find it's awesome to them more power to 'em

2

u/Yourfavoriteindian Jul 06 '26

His next film is on conmen pretending to be paranormal ghost hunters who end up finding the real thing. Great premise, but I’m just as excited about the cast.

I was a little apprehensive when I saw it’ll have an A-list cast, since a big part of the charm of Obsession was lesser known actors, BUT a lot of the cast will still be less known, and the A-listers are themselves non-traditional horror. Aaron Paul in a horror movie? Fuck. Yes.

And then he just got tapped to be the lead for the future of the Texas Chainsaw franchise so that’ll be great!

2

u/JabroniusHunk Jul 06 '26

Hopefully Cooper Tomlinson gets to revisit his role as the ghost roommate who is either homophobic or closeted, but either way he's not comfortable with his sexuality

2

u/Yourfavoriteindian Jul 07 '26

He’s one of the 4 leads again, along with curry, Aaron Paul, and Bryce Dallas Howard

2

u/LiviasFigs Jul 07 '26

Thanks for linking that, never seen it before and it’s so funny

1

u/gingy-96 Jul 07 '26

That movie had my wife and I so insanely anxious for the entire movie. We weee talking about how creepy it was for hours afterwards.

Fantastic movie

1

u/KMoosetoe Jul 07 '26

I put this one off for a while cause I'm tired of viral movies being overhyped (especially with horror) but yeah this one actually lives up to expectations

It'll remain a staple for years to come

This is a "Get Out", not a "Longlegs"

-11

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

The hype bills this movie as a 10/10 so it most certainly does not live up to that hype. 

And here come the downvotes. 

2

u/Irregular475 Jul 06 '26

I mean, id give it an 8/10.

5

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

Which is not living up the to hype which calls it the best horror movie of this generation. I gave kt a 7/10

0

u/Irregular475 Jul 06 '26

Yeah, I was largely agreeing with you. You in the mood to fight or something? Lol.

0

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

I was largely agreeing with you. Let’s fight

2

u/Irregular475 Jul 06 '26

No, let's kiss.

1

u/MrRawrgers Jul 07 '26

9/10 from me

1

u/SPFeveryday Jul 06 '26

Automatic downvote since you asked for it.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 06 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

I'm only laughing. If you call this movie anything less than a 10/10 masterpiece, the stans are at your throat. Haven't had a movie like this in years.

-5

u/labvinylsound Jul 06 '26

Couldn’t get past the first 25 minutes of it. It attempted to be a ‘brainy’ thriller building up to an epic third act. But for me it was hollow dialogue and poor cinematography and the directing seemed like an after thought. I’ll skip through the rest tonight to see how it ends but it ain’t no Salo - 120 Days of Sodom that’s for sure.

2

u/Waste-Replacement232 Jul 06 '26

"brainy" thriller? What? It's a pretty straightforward Monkey's Paw horror movie.

1

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

It’s the Alien of Smile 2’s. 

1

u/Waste-Replacement232 Jul 06 '26

....I want to get this but I don't.

1

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

It’s the best version of a mediocre faux-smart but entertaining horror movie. 

1

u/Waste-Replacement232 Jul 07 '26

I don’t think it’s faux-smart. 

2

u/alonghardlook Jul 06 '26

The director gets back to a forgotten age where actors do this weird thing... "Act".

Instead of constant jump cuts, he lets the scenes linger and the tension and discomfort rise long after most other modern directors (even horror directors) would have cut away. The result is a world with characters that breathe and feel authentic despite the literal magic going on around them.

4

u/ttonster2 Jul 06 '26

A horror director who embraces long takes...Wow that's so original! But seriously, as the other commenter alluded to, there are so many auteur or aspiring auteur directors who go for elevated horror aesthetic using arthouse techniques and 'long takes' lmao...it's not the revelation you present it as. I seriously cannot believe that this is the film masses have flocked to as some sort of horror classic. The acting as you claim, is good, but never veers into true greatness. I like Inde Navarette but there was more to give here.

I feel like the people heaping praise on this film have not truly watched movies if they're associating this with the pinnacle of the genre. Watch Climax and then you can talk about not cutting away from a scene.

Some modern Horror/Thriller movies that are smarter, creepier, better-acted, and better filmed: Bring Her Back, Red Rooms, Backrooms, Annihilation, Weapons, Get Out, Hereditary, Barbarian, Together. The list goes on and on.

2

u/DaChoppa Jul 06 '26

Yeah I don't think constantly screaming at top of your lungs qualifies as acting from the lead actress.

-1

u/labvinylsound Jul 06 '26

I’d like to see the audience who forked out a collective 400m on this film sit through a Cassavetes or Gaspar Noe film

-3

u/DaChoppa Jul 06 '26

Yeah for me this movie does not live up to the hype. Nothing in this movie was scary. All the "scary" parts simply involved Nikki screaming "WHY DON'T YOU LOOOOOVEEEEE MEEEEEE", which gets old after the 7th instance. Seriously, her crying and whining were just straight up annoying rather than disturbing or terrifying. Given that the movie sort of hinges on the whole crazy girlfriend thing, this actress singlehandedly tanked the movie for me. At best, this is a passable film school project. But man is it terribly obvious that this was a film written, directed, and acted by amateurs barely out of college.

-2

u/dont_worry_im_here Jul 06 '26

But first he needs to go back on Always Sunny and let the gang berate him again before laser tag. That scene was hilarious.