Obsession (2024)

Obsession
Directed by	Rainer Tamm
Written by	Madis Laar
Produced by	Enn Aavik Falko Sauerland
Starring	Benedikt Kümmel Lars Hartig Eric Seidl Marion Schlim Eugen Ehrenfest Christof Grün Celina Kadelburg Frida Ehlers Ava Stirner Erica Krier
Country	New Anea

Obsession is a 2024 New Anean crime thriller film, directed by Rainer Tamm and written by Madis Laar. The film stars an ensemble cast including Benedikt Kümmel, Lars Hartig, Eric Seidl, Marion Schlim, Eugen Ehrenfest, Christof Grün, Celina Kadelburg, Frida Ehlers, Ava Stirner, and Erica Krier. The plot follows a police consultant who is burdened with pursuing a serial killer who has personally challenged him to solve their riddles before they can commit their murders.

The film received widespread critical acclaim and performed well internationally, cementing it as one of the most well known Anean films.

Plot

Eblium Police consultants Martin Klavan and Oliver Mets are at a restaurant having lunch. As Martin launches into his usual flirting routine with the waitress, Oliver calls him on never taking relationships seriously. So Martin, in an effort to prove him wrong, calls Astrid Sibul, his high school crush he reconnected with at his reunion, and asks her on a proper date. The men are then summoned down to the police station.

The Freak Killer, a serial killer who was active when Martin's father Andrus was a cop then went silent, is back and wants to toy with the department again, this time singling out Martin as his primary playmate. Tauri, the police profiler, explains that Mr. Freak challenges the cops with the opportunity to save his victims by solving his riddles. Freak has just sent them another one, along with a stopwatch. They have an hour and ten minutes to solve the riddle and save his latest victim. Andrus storms into the station, having heard that Mr. Freak is back and has set his sights on his son. He forbids Martin to get involved with the case, explaining that if Freak has targeted him, he has also targeted the people he loves. But someone's life is in danger and Martin has no choice but to play along.

Martin figures out the riddle and is shocked to discover the target is the waitress he was flirting with earlier. They all arrive at the restaurant to find the waitress missing and a Freak Killer symbol with a streak of blood on her locker. Freak has left them another riddle and a stopwatch, this time giving them only eighteen minutes. Martin realizes their next location is the police station, and he heads back to find his mother Maila there waiting for him. She reiterates Andrus's concerns, but Martin tells his mom he's got this one and will wrap it up in time for his date with Astrid. Maila hopes he's right and wishes him luck.

Martin catches up with the rest of the cops who have found a package from Mr. Freak. The killer somehow managed to get into the building and leave it for them. Tauri opens the package to reveal another riddle and stopwatch along with a caged rat. The bottom of the cage is lined with newspaper classifieds that reference Martin's old cases. Martin, Oliver and Tauri are able to piece together the clues that send them to a moving train. Martin and Oliver jump on to find a stack of Polaroids this time, with the riddle and the watch. Martin puts together the clues to discover Freak is sending them to yet another location, the boardwalk near the consultant office. As soon as they get there, a phone starts to ring for them. Martin, realizing the phone didn't start ringing until they got there, refuses to answer it, knowing Freak is watching them. He sees movement in their office and takes off, but by the time they get there, Freak is gone, leaving behind a picture of the waitress, bound and gagged, and a handwritten message on the back. Tauri, whose respect for Freak's ability is now shared by everyone, explains the killer is giving them a second chance to save the waitress. But Martin refuses to keep playing Freak's game, insisting it's getting them nowhere. He quits the investigation, forcing Tauri and the cops to continue on without him.

Back at the police station, the police get a fax from Freak, and, realizing the killer must know Martin quit, figure out the new riddle is directed at detective Saamuel who deciphers it to reveal a hotel and room number. Meanwhile, Oliver and Martin, who only pretended to quit the investigation to circumvent Freak's game, head back to the restaurant where it all started. They figure out that Freak used the waitress' car to abduct her, so if they find the car, they find the girl. Martin calls Saamuel to let him know, but he is already at the hotel and her car is in the parking lot. Martin and Oliver race over there and they bust into the room to find the waitress alive, tied up with a note stuffed into her mouth. Martin looks around the room and sees the purse Maila was carrying earlier at the police station. Freak has exchanged the waitress for Maila, forcing Martin's return to his game.

Martin deciphers the latest riddle, sending everyone, including Andrus, to the drive in theater. Figuring since Freak used his victim's car once, he probably did it again, they start searching the cars for Maila's rental. Martin finds his mother in her car with a laser sighting pointed at the back of her head. He waves the cops off, but Andrus is able to duck down behind the vehicle. Saamuel, Hedi, Oliver, and Tauri take off to find the source of the laser but Martin sees it's a decoy, and he and Andrus stay behind. When the cops get to the projection booth, they ask Tauri to explain the motivation for the fake out, but for the first time, Tauri is thrown, saying this is not Freak's usual game. Back at the car, Martin sees that his mother is wired to a bomb. Maila is able to indicate Freak's location to Martin, and, looking over, he is surprised to see a woman holding a detonator, calling him over. Martin heads over to Freak, while Andrus stays behind with Maila. When Martin gets into the car with Freak, she congratulates him for getting there on time and being the first person to win her game. She says she could have killed Maila hours ago but she wants Martin to like her because they will be working together again. The cops now have them surrounded, and Martin tells Freak it's over, but she replies that she is going to write a book from prison and she wants Martin to write the foreword. She then hands him the detonator and turns herself in.

Maila, who is now safe, insists Martin keep his date with Astrid, who has just arrived. Martin leaves her to get popcorn for their date where Hedi corners him alone. She tells him how impressed she is with him, then, finally cutting through all the complications, asks him out to dinner. A stunned Martin tells her that her timing is horrible and that he is already out with someone. He then leaves her, returning to Astrid, finally ready to take her seriously after thirteen years of making her wait.

Cast

• Benedikt Kümmel as Martin Klavan
• Lars Hartig as Oliver Mets
• Eric Seidl as Tauri Mand, an enthusiast profiler of the killer
• Marion Schlim as Hedi Levandi, a police detective and a love interest of Martin's
• Eugen Ehrenfest as Saamuel Sepp, a police detective
• Christof Grün as Andrus Klavan, Martin's father
• Celina Kadelburg as Maila, Martin's mom
• Frida Ehlers as the Freak Killer, a serial killer who has reemerged to challenge Martin
• Ava Stirner as Astrid Sibul, Martin's love interest
• Erica Krier as the waitress