New Supernatural Horror Tops 2026 Reviews With Shockingly Strong Rotten Tomatoes Score

The supernatural horror film Obsession is getting strong attention from critics ahead of its wider release.

The movie is written, directed, and edited by Curry Barker. It follows a young man named Bear, played by Michael Johnston, who works in a music store. He buys a strange supernatural toy and uses it to make a wish that his childhood friend Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette, will fall in love with him. The story quickly turns dark as that wish begins to twist reality in dangerous ways.

The film first premiered on September 5, in the Midnight Madness section at TIFF. It is now scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on May 15, through Focus Features. Even before its wide release, it has already built a strong reputation among critics.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a 95% Tomatometer score based on 135 reviews, with a strong audience score as well. This places it among the highest-rated horror films heading into 2026 release season, based on early critical response.

Critics have mostly praised the film’s tone, direction, and especially the performance of Inde Navarrette. Many reviews highlight that she carries a large part of the emotional weight of the story. The horror elements, including jump scares and a dark final act, are also being mentioned as effective.

Jon Negroni from Thank God for Movies gave the film an 8/10 rating and said: “Curry Barker’s ‘Obsession’ earns its hype with a star-making Inde Navarrette performance and a vicious sense of where to point the camera.”

Stephen Silver from Splice Today also praised it, saying the team delivers strong work and calling it one of the better horror films of the year. Fico Cangiano from CineXpress described it as a tense and unusual romance-horror mix and strongly highlighted Navarrette’s performance.

Other critics were more mixed on the film’s depth but still positive about its execution. Christopher Lloyd from The Film Yap noted the familiar horror structure but still appreciated the performances. Sandra Hall from the Sydney Morning Herald compared the director’s style to filmmakers like Jordan Peele and Jennifer Kent, while also saying he is still developing his voice.

Some reviews also pointed out the film’s mix of dark humor and horror. Patrick McDonald from HollywoodChicago.com said the movie works because of its tone and performance, especially in scenes that blend romance with unsettling moments.

Overall, critics are saying that Obsession works best because of its lead performance and its bold approach to horror storytelling. Even when opinions differ on how original the story feels, the acting and atmosphere are being widely praised.

With a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score and strong early buzz, Obsession is being described by many reviewers as one of the standout supernatural horror films leading into 2026.

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