"What is this, a monkey's paw fable for gen-x incels?" I thought after the first act of Obsession, yet another victory for YouTuber low-budget indie horror at the box office in 2026. I wasn't wrong, but I underestimated just how much was in the tank to explosively escalate those beats via plot twists, acting choices, and special effects. It's the kind of film that proves the folly of judging a film on a one-sentence summary. It's in the execution, the work of many tiny parts to elevate it all.