Written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg, ‘Possessor’ is a flawed yet fascinating mash-up of 21st century techno-fears and brutally violent sci-fi horror. Cerebral and splashy in equal measure, it’s a film that taps into age-old fears about identity and estrangement, whilst also critiquing the insidious influence of corporate power in our increasingly digital modern world. All wrapped up in a bloody blanket of visceral gore, Cronenberg’s sophomore feature is a striking piece of work.
The films drops us into an alternative version of the present day, where a secretive organisation uses advanced technology to take control of other people’s bodies to commit corporate espionage on behalf of their high-paying clients. The film follows Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), an agent for this organisation who undergoes a procedure where her consciousness is implanted into the mind of an unsuspecting host. She then carries out assassinations while in control of these hosts, leaving no trace of her involvement. A bit like ‘Inception’ but with a lot more stabbing.
Vos takes on a new assignment to assassinate John Parse (Sean Bean), the CEO of a data mining company. To accomplish this, she infiltrates the life of Colin (Christopher Abbott), the boyfriend of Parse’s daughter Ava (Tuppence Middleton). She studies him beforehand, learning his mannerisms and speech patterns, in order to better impersonate him once she latches on. However, things go awry when Vos struggles to maintain control over Colin’s mind, leading to a battle for dominance, and a blurring of the lines between parasite and host.
This all plays out in an extremely nightmarish way, with graphic body horror and surreal imagery, which may prove to be a bit much for some audiences. However, for audiences that are more familiar with squelchy, fleshy, face-melting horror, this will be a giddy delight. The work by the practical special FX and prosthetic make-up teams is excellent, and a real treat for fans of 70s/80s horror.
Where ‘Possessor’ is less successful is in characterisation and narrative coherence. The characters, while intriguing on a conceptual level, often feel underdeveloped, despite the strong work from the cast. Perhaps it was intentional to have them seem like empty shells, devoid of depth or emotion, however this superficiality robs the violence of its emotional resonance, rendering it somewhat hollow and disconnected from the film’s overarching themes.
The film suffers from a severe case of style over substance, no more typified than in the lack of narrative clarity. Amid all the weirdness and brutality and striking imagery, it’s not always clear what is happening, or who is in control. Maybe it doesn’t matter. Maybe ultra-violence and eerie vibes is enough. It’s a good-looking film, it’s got a great score by Jim Williams, and the performances from Riseborough and Abbott are excellent. There’s certainly enough here to enjoy, but as an overall compelling and coherent piece of work it just doesn’t quite hold together.
As ever, Second Sight have pulled together an extremely handsome release. The vivid primary colours of the film look sharp and vibrant in this excellent UHD image, though it’s worth noting that in the more psychedelic moments where the image is warped and weird, I couldn’t really tell any difference between this and a standard hi-def picture. The soundscape of the film however is incredible on this release.
The disc comes with a vast array of special features, including brand new commentaries and interviews, video essays, featurettes, behind the scenes footage, clips showcasing the practical FX, deleted scenes, the trailer, and one of Cronenberg’s short films. The limited-edition release comes bound in a rigid slipcase, and includes a book of essays and behind the scenes stills, and six collector’s art cards.
Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tuppence Middleton Director: Brandon Cronenberg Writer: Brandon Cronenberg Released By: Second Sight Films Certificate: 18 Duration: 104 mins Release Date: 18 March 2024
