The Mosley Review: Obsession
WOAH! It is takes alot for a film in the horror genre to surprise me and make me say WOAH! Now, I'm not trying to come off all high and mighty, but you have to admit that there are alot of safe and honestly boring horror films out there that may have one or two qualities worth rememberance. Every once in a while a new entry comes along and takes a fresh concept to a level that doesn't go for the easy and choses to tell an intimate story that is relatable, terrifying and sad. This film truly took me for an unexpected ride that I truly couldn't get enough of. I loved the stillness and the classis trick of using the edge of each frame to build the tension and unsettling presence of danger that isn't predictable. The most basic of basic mistakes that many horror films fail to remember is to set up your rules, follow them to the letter and let the story naturally escalate while not contradicting the rules. This film does that expertly and in one particular scene, it introduces a great point of lore that was so satisfying and gut wrenching.
Michael Johnston was fantastic as the sheepish lead, Bear. The complexity of this character was not surface level by any means. He was the classic definition of the nice guy that has pure feelings for someone, but his neurotic nature truly holds him back. What I loved about the character is that even he knows what he wished for was wrong, but the way he deals with it was based in true terror and trauma as he sinks into himself. He was the perfect case of a selfless person becoming selfish, destructive to others and overall lost in his despair. Michael delivered an outstanding performance that was restrained and explosive in the best way possible. Cooper Tomlinson was great as their douchey friend, Ian. He is one of the best guys to have on your side as he would stand up for those he cares about while also not being afraid to poke fun. He gives a mixture of good advice to Bear while also giving him the absolute worst advice as well. He wasn't without a brain though. Even he was starting to question the situation that Bear asked for and his reaction was logical and hilarious at times. Megan Lawless was great as another part of the friend group, Sarah. Honestly, I loved her character the most as she was a very chill person and I loved how she had a future she was striving toward. The chemistry between her and Bear was greatest during a scene when all of them were at work together. If anything, she was the only innocent person of the story. Now the real standout and terrifyingly heartbreaking performance came from none other than Inde Navarrette as Nikki. From the beginning, you can see the light of her fun and welcoming personality shine through as her chemistry with the entire cast was perfect. The real terror begins once you see that light in her eyes instantly get snatched away from her. Every once in awhile there is a performance that instantly becomes so haunting that it stays with you. Inde delivers such a performance and I loved how it slowly progresses from lovingly weird to creepy and finally demonic. The back and forth between her and Bear was the heart of the film and it was truly sad and wrong on so many levels. Once you realize who the real villain of the story is, it changes the whole perspective of the film.
The score by Rock Burwell was great and haunting. If was offbeat and sometimes synth driven as the more innocent and emotional moments come through. He used the more loud musical hit wisely as he didn't rely on the big bass drop or strings to scare the audience. The cinematography of the film was excellent as it stays consistent with a shadowy golden look that uses green to a more sickening degree. Almost every shot could be a still frame that tells a story by itself. Like I said before, once you follow the rules of your horror story, the natural escalation of terror can work as long as the story is solid and this film was all of that. The dissection of the many themes of forced relationships, devotion and how the selfish nature of a one sided love can be disastrous was brilliantly captured. The phone call scene to "the company" was one of my favorite scenes as it showcased what I suspected without confirming it completely, while in turn, led to one of the best Sam Raimi style endings I've seen in a long time. Yeah, this is definitely one of my favorite horror films of the year that I highly recommend. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
