POSSESSOR (2020) BODY-HORROR RUNS IN THE FAMILY. MOVIE REVIEW.

A new Cronenberg.

Possessor is the kind of movie that flutters in your head like a bird circling trapped inside its cage. It is a disturbing and discomforting film but at the same time intelligent and elegant in which reviews how external technological influence can observe and control human behavior. It is part of the body horror subgenre, but it contains a lot of cyberpunk elements. The director’s last name is Cronenberg, but not the one you know.

Family business.

David Cronenberg is considered the one who originated the body horror sub-genre and he determined the main aspects from his early work on films as Shivers and Rabid in the 70s. But it is his son, Brandon Cronenberg, who directs this new entry. And he does it in a great way. Exploring the territories established by his father, Brandon gives us Possessor,  a cruel history with decadent characters and a heavy dose of gore. In his direction, he manages to print his stamp with excellent framing and thoughtful camera movements that give the film a slow but consistent rhythm. The other great influence that we can appreciate on Brandon is Dario Argento, with the atmospheric use of monochromatic colors that overlap the framing of many scenes.

Sophisticated assassins.

We follow an agent of a clandestine organization that is dedicated to orchestrating assassinations for clients of great economic power, individuals, and corporations. Using brain implants inserted into innocents, the agents of this organization can control these people from a distance without risk of being detected. Agent Vos, one of her best killers, begins to have repercussions related to the repeated possessions she needs to perform on every mission. This is sending her into an unexpected spiral of madness and nightmarish hallucinations as she tries to complete her current mission. Artificial external attachments that modify the human body, large corporations. Cyberpunk is present.

Strong leads.

Much of the success of the film is the excellent performances of the two main leads. Andrea Yarborough as Agent Vos and Christopher Abbott as Colin, one of the poor individuals the organization chose to have the brain implant performed and thus be owned by an agent. They both carry the weight of the story and do it convincingly. Jennifer Jason Leigh, a veteran who had previously worked with David Cronenberg makes a small but substantial part.

Old-school trip SFX

The effects used for the most amazing trippy scenes in the film were almost entirely done with practical resources and clever lighting. Also, the work on the deformations was mostly done by the work of top-quality makeup artists. Brando tried to use CGI as little as possible, and rely on old-school creative methods, and it shows in the impact of the scenes. Also worth noting the musical score maintains the gloomy atmosphere of the film.

From a distance.

When the main character is a cold-blooded killer, it is difficult for the writers to create empathy towards him. Usually, that emotional bond the victims. But in Possessor it is not like that. Victims are created with enough negative baggage so that the viewer somehow feels that they are getting what they deserve. Neither the agents nor the victims cause empathy. They are all somewhat unpleasant people. Although this distancing is consistent with the entire narrative of the film and is coherent in that, it also means that the viewer is not emotionally involved nor invested in the characters and what happens to them.

Nightmarish dichotomy.

The viewer may experience a sensation similar to being on a feverish nightmare. Where you know that that nightmare is in your head and you full well know that it cannot harm you, but still have a feeling of discomfort and you cannot do more than to remain trapped in it. A strange and unique story, with amazing special effects that keep you attentive at all times, but at the same time cold and remote. Oblivious to what is happening to the characters but invested in the story and what another outrageous offbeat turn will take. Even so, is an unusual trip more than recommended for any fan of the genre.

Delirium Score