00:03Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we're stacking obsession against other films widely released
00:10in 2026, determining whether it's truly the most unsettling movie of the year so far.
00:21Part 1. The Competition
00:242026 kicked off on an unhinged note with Sam Raimi's long-awaited return to horror, Send Help.
00:35Raimi's first true horror film in almost 17 years, Send Help blends his signature inventive gore
00:41with near-slapstick humor. Yet, the film never becomes a straight-up comedy, leaning more towards
00:47a cutthroat castaway thriller. The power dynamics are reversed as Rachel McAdams' Linda finds herself
01:11stranded on a deserted island with her sexist boss, Bradley, played by Dylan O'Brien.
01:23While we root for Linda, the film takes her to increasingly disturbing places as she not only
01:29tries to ensure her survival, but also that she'll finally get her due upon being rescued. For that to
01:36happen, it's possible that only one of them can leave the island alive. Where Send Help was tense
01:44in an over-the-top way, Undertone is the opposite.
01:48Hello?
01:51Hello?
01:52Hello?
01:53Ian Twoson's debut feature doesn't tell or show so much as it has the audience listen as a podcaster is
01:59either haunted by paranormal forces or the voices in her own head. With a budget of only $500,000,
02:15the film makes the most of its limited resources with a committed performance from Nina Kiri and
02:20sound design that genuinely makes your skin crawl. For some viewers, the final destination might not
02:33justify the slow-burning narrative. Whether or not you vibe with the picture, there's no denying that
02:39Undertone delivers an unnerving experience, putting us inside the main character's head as her sanity
02:45unravels. At first glance, the drama seems like a romantic comedy. To an extent, it is, although
03:15the drama in question makes for one of the most uncomfortable cinematic experiences of the year.
03:20Before tying the knot, Zendaya's Emma and Robert Pattinson's Charlie play a game where they share
03:26the worst things they've ever done. For Emma, it's the worst thing she almost did, but that only makes
03:32it slightly less alarming. Questioning his pending nuptials, Charlie spirals committing deeds he didn't
03:48think he was capable of. The film is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. As the wheels come
03:59off,
03:59the characters should probably jump. Having already bought tickets, though,
04:04they try tiptoeing around the inevitable crash that's coming.
04:08I love you. I love you so much.
04:15I love you too.
04:18Pokum comes from director Damian McCarthy, who previously brought us Caveat and Oddity. His third
04:25feature is another feat of visual horror, as Adam Scott's Ohm checks into a hotel while combating
04:31writer's block. The haunted hotel setup sounds a lot like The Shining, and some of the imagery is
04:45certainly worthy of comparison to the Kubrick classic. At the same time, Holcomb has a gothic feel that's all
04:51its own. The film possesses the atmosphere of a classic ghost story that will have you jumping
05:00out of your seat more than once. Yet, Holcomb is arguably at its scariest when the audience is too
05:09petrified even to leave their seats. As unsettling as these films are, one has us obsessed on another level.
05:212. Obsessed with Obsession Be careful what you wish for
05:25Nikki, wait, I was going to ask you, um…
05:28What?
05:29Ugh, I lost my train of thought.
05:32It's a cliched message, but with Obsession, writer-director Curry Barker approaches it in fresh,
05:38funny, and incredibly freaky ways. Michael Johnston plays Bear, a young man who desperately wants to
05:45tell his co-worker Nikki that he'd like to be more than friends. Even when given the ideal
05:49opportunity to speak up, Bear would rather bite his tongue than potentially face rejection.
05:55Why?
05:56While Bear's actions can be facepalm-inducing, we'd be lying if we said his anxiety wasn't
06:02relatable. Anyone who's ever felt friend-zoned has been there, but it's not like there's a monkey's
06:07paw that can make someone love you. Bear does have one wish, Willow, though, which works the same way.
06:19This sounds like something we've seen before.
06:25From the moment Nikki appears on her porch in Silhouette, Obsession buckles you in for a far more
06:30unpredictable ride. Perhaps the most surprising element is that, despite the supernatural setup
06:35and, at times, absurd twists, Bear and Nikki's relationship is eerily identifiable. Nikki does
06:44fall in love with Bear to the point that he can't leave the room without her having a meltdown.
06:48Even when together, Nikki can be jealous, dishonest, violent, and straight-up sick before
06:54suddenly shifting back to being a loving girlfriend. Nikki's erratic behavior is consistent with
07:05someone who has a mental health condition or substance use disorder. The one difference is
07:10that a wish is at the root of Nikki's actions. Thus, Obsession also becomes an exploration of toxic
07:17partnerships. Nikki isn't truly the toxic one in this relationship, however.
07:25Bear might not have realized what he was doing when he made that wish. As it becomes evidence
07:31what's happening though, Bear prioritizes his own happiness, turning a blind eye to what Nikki is
07:36going through. Even when Nikki's behavior starts to take a toll on him physically and
07:51mentally, Bear is resolute about making the relationship work. Despite his selfishness,
07:57a part of us still empathizes with Bear as he's subjected to public humiliation,
08:02mood swings, and the most stomach-churning meal scene of 2026. Yet what Bear does to Nikki is
08:08arguably more troubling than what she puts him through. Nikki is clearly at war with herself,
08:20and one side is winning. This isn't truly how Nikki feels, however. Underneath her creepy smile and
08:30spine-tingling laughter is a woman who's been stripped of her agency, calling out for release.
08:43Nikki doesn't care how she's freed so long as she isn't weighed down by the chains that Bear has forced
08:48her into. Again, this ties back to the film's mental illness allegory. Internally, she wants to escape
08:54the hell she's living, but can't control her actions. Although Bear is in a position to help her,
09:05he chooses to enable Nikki's behavior, wanting her to need him and feeling entitled to her affection.
09:11Herein lies what makes obsession such an unsettling time at the movies. It isn't just the bloody
09:19violence, painfully awkward tension, or the sense of dread that grows as our characters dig themselves
09:25deeper into this doomed relationship. Minus the fantastical aspects, Bear and Nikki's anti-love
09:31story is one we could see playing out in real life. The film's title isn't necessarily referring to
09:37Nikki's obsession with Bear, but rather Bear's obsession with possessing her. Either way,
09:43it's an obsession destroying two people. One is helpless to do anything about it. The other has
09:48the power but is too weak to admit he can't handle it. As their relationship reaches its final
09:58destination, the audience is left speechless. Part 3. Verdict
10:06While 2026 has given us some unsettling offerings so far, Obsession checks all of the boxes.
10:21It balances the jaw-dropping violence of Send Help, the effective sounds of Undertone,
10:27the destructive central dynamic of the drama, and the harrowing imagery of Hocum, while ultimately
10:32being its own entity from an exciting up-and-coming filmmaker. Will Obsession maintain its status as the
10:42most unsettling movie of the year? Several titles on the horizon could put up a fight, including Kane
10:47Parsons' Backrooms, Sebastian Vonacek's Evil Dead Burn, and Zack Kreger's Resident Evil.
11:00For now though, Obsession is the film that will have us lying awake at night,
11:05especially if there's someone else sleeping on the other side.
11:09I'm your freaky Nikki. Do you think Obsession is the most unsettling movie of the year so far?
11:14Let us know in the comments.
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