Actress Inde Navarrette has received critical acclaim for her performance in the horror film "Obsession," directed by Curry Barker.
The film examines the dangers of male entitlement and the dark side of wish fulfillment. By using the horror genre to dissect these social dynamics, the movie attempts to serve as a cautionary tale regarding the "nice guy" archetype.
Reviews of the film, published earlier this month, vary on the overall quality of the production. The Hindu said the movie was a terrifying dissection of male entitlement [1]. Conversely, the Inlander said the work was a one-note horror debut that leaves much to be desired [4]. Despite these differing views on the script and direction, critics agree on the strength of the lead actress.
An Inlander reviewer said, "Inde Navarrette is outstanding" [4]. Yahoo Entertainment said the horror genre has a "scream queen in the making" with Navarrette and a "talented new storyteller" in Barker [2].
The film's themes of entitlement appeared to resonate strongly with audiences during its Los Angeles premiere. A reviewer for the Los Angeles Times said, "As young men flinched and gasped around me at the Los Angeles premiere of "Obsession," I almost had to laugh" [3].
Barker's direction focuses on the psychological tension inherent in obsession. While some critics find the execution lacking, the consensus suggests that Navarrette's presence elevates the material, providing a petrifying center to the narrative [1].
“Inde Navarrette is outstanding.”
The critical reception of "Obsession" suggests a divide between the film's thematic ambitions and its execution. While the narrative structure may be viewed by some as simplistic, the strong performance by Inde Navarrette indicates a growing trend in horror cinema where the lead performance is used to anchor social critiques of gender and power dynamics.
