Certificate: 18
Running time: 103 minutes
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sean Bean
Directed by: Brandon Cronenberg
The story: Using brain transplant technology, an elite assassin takes control of other people's bodies in order to execute high profile targets.
The verdict: You may have spotted something familiar about Brandon Cronenberg's name, yes he is the son of David Cronenberg - and the apple definitely does not fall far from the tree.
Possessor is a sci-fi thriller/horror hybrid with a good dose of violence, nudity and gore - this is not a film for the fainthearted. The film follows Tasya Vos, an assassin whose consciousness is transplanted into other people's bodies in order to carry out assassinations. Often in films such as these, there is some time dedicated to explaining the science behind what is happening or how it is happening, and what was really interesting about Possessor is that nothing is ever explained. Rather events are simply presented to the audience. At first, I found this slightly jarring as I got my head around the sci-fi elements. However, I actually ended up really liking this approach. Films which treat their audience with respect and assume that the audience is intelligent enough to fill in the blanks can be few and far between.
As mentioned above, there are some explicit moments in Possessor and some of the violence was hard to watch. The performances were very good though and in particular Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott were outstanding. I have been a fan of Abbott for a long time and he continues to impress.
Possessor is set in a strangely subdued world where it is both futuristic and not futuristic at all - a dystopian world which also feels worryingly recognisable. Even in the middle of the day, events transpire in a world where it seems perpetually cloudy and dull. The visuals in Possessor work really well with the hazy and morally ambiguous nature of the film. Possessor looks at the nature of remorse, corporate greed, human connection and more besides - you can find a lot bubbling under the surface of this film and it will be interesting to see how that changes with a second watch.
Overall, though at times an uncomfortable watch, Possessor is a really terrific film. It is a unique and thought provoking sci-fi and had me completely engaged throughout. This will not be a film for everyone as it is a very slow burn and cerebral film. But for those who are pulled into the curious and unsettling world of Possessor - it will not let you go easily.
The rating: ★★★★ and a half
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