This week in the crypt we take spoiler free look at the 2020 film Possessor which was released to VOD on November 3rd and will be coming to DVD, Blu Ray, & 4K Blu Ray on December 8th.
by Adam Holtzapfel
To say Possessor is just a sci fi film would be an understatement. This ambitious film spans multiple genres from horror to thriller to action to sci fi. Brandon Cronenberg has delivered a stellar film during a year when many were put on the shelf.
While being the son of body horror legend David Cronenberg, you cannot compare Brandon’s work to his fathers…it stands on it’s own and should be viewed as such.
In the first five minutes of this hellacious ride we see Holly (Gabrielle Graham) insert a cord into her head and dial into a frequency. Her face goes from a nervous smile to sheer horror. Thus the story begins.
From there viewers are taken and an hour and forty-four minute ride that has you second guessing what you’ve seen.
We see Girder (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Vos (Andrea Riseborough) going through a psychological exercise following a mission.
We realize that Vos is longing to see her family which leads to an odd sight of her practicing what to say, just to get things right.
After we see Vos’s “happy” family Michael (Rossif Sutherland) and Ira (Gage Graham-Arbuthnot) you get the feeling that something is off.
The job of a lifetime comes along involving the Parse family. The “host” is Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott) with the target being John Parse (Sean Bean) and Ava Parse (Tuppence Middleton). This is where our story goes from wild to insane.
With the implant in place (it looks just a little like a mechanical plague doctor mask) Vos begins the new job.
Through this we cannot tell who is in control, who isn’t, and who is playing who.
It’s at this point we cross into a heavy psychological thriller. You feel the tension build as the film continues and leads to some twists that are sure to leave your stomach uneasy toward the end of the film.
What works is Cronenberg’s script and direction. The acting is believable and the look of the film is immersive. The soundtrack from Jim Williams has the feel of an older film. While very cerebral there is plenty for gore hounds to love as the kills in the are some of the most brutal I’ve seen and feel somewhat personal.
On our grading scale this film easily gets an A, it’s fresh and something new. While there are somethings in common with Upgrade and the comic Hardcore, this stands out and rises to the top. Take some time to pair this with Upgrade or the poorly aged but well loved Brainscan for a night of technological horror/sci fi fun.
You can check out the trailer for Possessor here.