The new horror film “Obsession” has been going viral, and I think it’s not just because it’s scary in a supernatural way. It felt uncomfortable in a much more personal way, like it was exposing something a lot of Gen Z people quietly feel but don’t really say out loud.
The story follows Bear, a young record store employee who has a crush on his coworker, Nikki. One day, Nikki asks him if he likes her. Instead of being honest, Bear freezes. He panics at the thought of the rejection, and in that moment of fear, he uses a magical wish stick called the One Wish Willow to make Nikki fall deeply in love with him. It sounds like a dream scenario, but quickly, it turns into a nightmare because the wish doesn't create real love; it removes Nikki's choice.
Her other personality becomes overly obsessive, jealous, controlling, and even violent. She starts stalking Bear and trapping him in ways that feel disturbing and suffocating, but as the film slowly reveals, Nikki isn't really the “villain” typically found in horror movies. She’s basically someone whose emotions and decisions were rewritten without consent, and that’s where the film stops being just fiction.
What really hit me is how “Obsession” reflects a very real modern dating fear, especially for Gen Z. Dating here doesn't feel simple anymore. There's ghosting, situationships, overthinking texts, and constantly worrying about red flags or being “too much.”
A lot of us want love, but we also fear the vulnerability that comes with it. We want intimacy, but not the awkward “What if they reject me?” conversation. We want connection, but we don't always want the risk that comes with honesty, and sometimes, it's easier to imagine shortcuts like control, avoidance, or emotional detachment rather than just saying how we feel directly.
That's why Bear's decision feels strangely relatable, even though it's extreme. He doesn't harm Nikki out of hatred. He does it out of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of embarrassment, fear of not being enough, and I think that's what makes the film so uncomfortable.
It reflects a quiet truth: sometimes the real problem in relationships isn't lack of love, but lack of emotional courage.
In reality, most of us are not using magical wish sticks, but we do similar things in smaller ways. We overthink instead of asking directly. We assume instead of clarifying, we ghost instead of explaining. We control situations in subtle emotional ways just so we don't have to face rejection head-on.
So when people ask, “Who is the real villain in Obsession?” I don't think the answer is simple. Nikki becomes frightening in the story, but only because her autonomy was taken away. Bear becomes the real source of horror, not because he is evil, but because his fear pushes him to remove someone else's freedom of choice.
Maybe that's why “Obsession” stayed in my mind long after the credits rolled. It wasn't because of the gore or the jump scares. It was because it quietly asked me a question I didn't expect: “If I liked someone and they didn’t feel the same, would I handle it with maturity? Or would I, like Bear, secretly wish there was an easier way to make the outcome go my way?”
Rejection is painful. It bruises our ego, makes us question ourselves, and sometimes leaves us wondering if we weren't good enough. But real love has never been about making someone stay. It's about giving them the freedom to choose even if that choice isn't us. In real life, there are no magical wish sticks. There are only honest conversations, vulnerability, and the courage to accept that not every feeling will be returned. Sometimes, respecting someone's answer is the greatest act of love you can show.
Felicia Yoan (feliciayoan11@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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