← Back to results
Possessor
2020 103 min Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America R 18+
★6.6
Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction
Director: Brandon Cronenberg
Trailers
EN
Teaser
Teaser
EN
Description
Tasya Vos, an elite corporate assassin, uses brain-implant technology to take control of other people’s bodies to terminate high profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment, Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her.
Budget:
$2.5M
US Gross:
$752,885
Worldwide:
$911,000
Starring
Andrea Riseborough
Actor
Christopher Abbott
Actor
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2021
— Best Independent Film
Sundance Film Festival 2020
— Grand Jury Prize – Drama (World Cinema)
Key opinion
Possessor is widely recognized as a visually striking and visceral work of body horror that continues the stylistic legacy of Brandon Cronenberg's father. While audiences and critics are largely unified in their praise for the film's technical craftsmanship and acting, they are deeply divided over the narrative execution and character development.
| Acting | Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott deliver strong, focused performances that anchor the film's cold and unsettling atmosphere. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography and visual effects utilize a striking, psychedelic, and graphic aesthetic that effectively communicates the film's body-horror themes. | |
| Emotion | The film's relentless and hyper-realistic depiction of graphic violence is polarizing, serving as a powerful stylistic choice for some while acting as an alienating barrier for others. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is a point of contention; some view the narrative as an evocative and chilling thematic statement, while others find the plotting thin, underdeveloped, and lacking logical momentum. | |
| Pacing | The contemplative and slow-burn pacing successfully builds an oppressive atmosphere for fans of the genre, but feels sluggish and disconnected to those seeking traditional narrative tension. |