Obsession is a good movie, not a great movie because of the plot (7/10)
The movie is well executed and has great acting with iconic horror scenes.
However, the plot is holding the film back IMHO. The plot is painfully mid, here's why:
- The plot is highly predictable. I found it very easy to predict what was going to happen next, there is one scene where I even predicted what was going to happen and in what way - that's exactly what happened. This is how it is the entire movie.
- There are a lot of "why" questions left at the end. Forexample, why does she not love him like a normal person? Why is she acting strange? This is never explained.
a. If there are split personalities, then the wish never really came true. He wanted HER to love him, but instead another "entity" takes over, that is not HER. Why does another entity take over?
b. If the company holds the original soul, then why is she able to take over the body?
c. Why didn't he just manipulate her by saying "if you love me, then stop doing x behavior?" She clearly listens to him and at times he is able to manipulate her, but she keeps doing weird things.
d. Why does she decide to stand there and wait all day? There is a WHOLE montage of her doing her job like a normal person and loving him, but suddenly she decides to pee/poop and smile awkwardly while standing facing the door the ENTIRE day? This makes absolutely no sense to me and feels like it was there to be an iconic scene and nothing more.
e. If she really loves him, why does she stand there and watch him sleep weirdly? Again, if she loves him, she can sleep right beside him - be closer to him, why is she doing this? Her actions make no sense.
f. If she loves him, why does she feed him his cat? Even when he clearly said he wants a proper burial for the cat. Feeding him the cat, could potentially kill him...again it also doesn't make sense here.
g. Also why does his friend, after getting a billion dollars, comes into get shot in the face lol?
- The main character is too much of a pussy to ever take a stand, I mean, at a certain point you'd expect the character to take a stand with all of what is going down. But, that never really happens, it just doesn't make sense.
This movie is great or amazing if you don't value the plot and shut off your brain, yes the acting and sequences are amazing - but the plot is mid at best. The plot is a critical part of a movie, because that is the sequence of events - ideally every move should make sense within the set universe.
Here, the plot is only there to take you from one iconic well-acted and executed horror sequence to another - like a checklist. Instead, of feeling like a cohesive well thought out story.
I have watched the director's YouTube shorts and honestly it really feels like the plot was taken from there. The key elements:
- Have a dumb/naieve/pussy character that is unable to question or have the courage to do so.
- Make awkward and weird stuff happen.
- Laugh or get scared and profit???
It works in a YouTube short that I watch for free, I expect better things from the plot of a movie.
I am not sure how people look at this movie and give it a 9 or 10 out of 10. If the actors/actresses did not go above and beyond with their abilities, this movie would be a 5 out of 10, it really lives on the performance of the cast (which was amazing). Overall score: 7/10