POSSESSOR (2020) review
EDIT: It has come to my attention that Possessor is, in fact, not the directorial debut from Brandon Cronenberg. Antiviral (2012) is actually Brandon Cronenberg’s initial feature length debut. This review has been updated to reflect on that error.
Possessor is the second film from Brandon Cronenberg – son of the legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg, who gained a cult following through his films that made strides exploring the “body horror” genre. In many ways – Cronenberg with Possessor takes influence from his father’s work but brings the genre into the 21st Century in more ways than one. The result is a gripping cult classic in the making; one that feels timely, disturbing, and unforgettable in many ways as well. In the end – it is a film about being uncomfortable in one’s skin and how untreated trauma can result in internal isolation.
The film revolves around a secret organization hired by high-profile individuals to discreetly “dispose” of their competition. To do this – they hire professional hitmen and implant their minds into the bodies of specific individuals close to the targets themselves – whether they be family, significant others, etc. Think Inception but delving into “horror” and “experimental” aspects rather than the blockbuster storytelling. And though the film is purely science-fiction, Cronenberg focuses in on the characters and events in such a claustrophobic manner – the psychological thriller elements overshadow the “science.” There is no explanation into how or why the technology works – and there is no reason to.
The film opens on hitman Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) in the body of another – Holly (Gabrielle Graham) as she executes the final moments of her assassination mission. It is in this introduction sequence, when Vos is pulled out of Holly’s body remotely, we can see her troubled with the process in the first place. As Holly, Vos is unable to shoot herself in the head after executing her target – which is the proper method to be pulled out of the host body. Instead, law enforcement arrives and blow Vos into oblivion till she wakes up in her original body. After a psychological evaluation conducted by her boss, Girder (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Vos is sent home to spend time with her husband and son before being called into work once more. However, it is this next mission that goes haywire when Vos infiltrates the body of Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott) hired to assassinate his girlfriend (Tuppence Middleton) and her esteemed millionaire of a father – John Parse (Sean Bean). Yes – Sean Bean’s sole role is to die. Classic Sean Bean. It is in this mission where Vos starts to lose control of her mind and body; intertwining with that of Tate’s. And this is where the film starts to go off.
Essentially – if you want a psychological thriller where the brilliant Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbot fight for control of one’s psyche set within a “Hard-R” Black Mirror style setting, this is most certainly for you. However, it is worth noting – this is not a film that lets go by any means. Once the “experimental” antics start kicking in – there are full blown montage sequences of some of the most visually striking and equally disturbing moments I have seen in a film released in the past decade or so. The intent is, at times, to make you to feel sick to the core – diving into the mind of Vos. And Cronenberg succeeds in every way.
The film takes off into a psychedelic nightmare that embodies the question: “what does it mean to be an individual?” In a world where we are so connected and entangled within the lives of others – where does our consciousness begin and theirs end? And the film peaks at the tense moments in which both Vos and Tate are trying not only to lose their bodies – but their identities themselves.
It’s a hard film to talk about because it achieves so much by mixing genres so fluidly together. It’s sci-fi – but disgusting; not “clean-cut”. It has the grimy feeling of science-fiction reminiscent to that of Alien but with the brutality and introspection of The Brood – all tied in with a blockbuster science-fiction premise on the level of Inception. It feels like a film that, especially for a director’s first effort, should not work on many levels. But at the same time – it very much feels like a fundamental project for the filmmaker himself; showing that he is able to bring his own techniques and thoughts into an industry his father has influenced so much. All while creating something beautifully haunting at the same time.
By the end – it also becomes a film that looks at trauma in a light that, if unchecked, can become somewhat of a mental prison. One may constantly be in a depressive cycle that they cannot escape; a downward spiral eventually leading into a loss of self-identity. And when one reaches this point – they, like Vos, numb the pain; but that isn’t the same way as treating it.
This is a horror film for the digital age that blurs the lines between science and fiction – or at least the feeling of it. Possessor is a nerve-racking haunting experience from beginning to end and it is worth every second.
As a side note, this film feels like a ghastly version of the short story – The Secret Life of Walkter Mitty. Except – instead of being caught in daydreams, our protagonist seems to be caught in nightmares unable to differentiate them from reality. And in the end, there is no grand heroic death that awaits Vos; only an awakening back to reality.
