Film Apocrypha: Possessor

Guest Blogger Anthony Musella salutes Brandon Cronenberg's Visually Stunning and Thought-Provoking Modern Masterpiece

In a sea of horror movies, few manage to captivate audiences with a truly unique and mind-bending experience. "Possessor," Brandon Cronenberg’s 2020 Sophomore film, stands out as a remarkable modern horror masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of the genre.

This science fiction horror masterpiece weaves together an intriguing concept, powerful performances, and striking visuals to create an unforgettable cinematic experience. Let's delve into why "Possessor" is one of my favorite modern horror movies and why it deserves a place on every horror enthusiast's watchlist.

Possessor follows Tasya Vos, a corporate agent who uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies, driving them to commit assassinations for the benefit of the company. While she has a special gift for the work, her experiences on these jobs have caused dramatic effects on her personal life. As her mental strain intensifies, she begins to lose control, and soon she finds herself trapped in the mind of a man whose identity threatens to destroy her own.

Like his father, Brandon leans into body horror elements, but there is something more here. His ability to blend sci-fi and horror is nothing shy of shocking, horrifying, and brilliant. But there is a lot more at play here.

At the core of "Possessor" lies a gripping and unconventional concept. Set in a not-so-distant future, the film explores the dangerous implications of technology that allows one person to inhabit the body of another. This novel premise raises thought-provoking questions about identity, control, and the limits of human existence, which didn’t only engage me on an intellectual level, but also an emotional one.

This film is a true tour de force of psychological horror, expertly building tension and suspense throughout its runtime. The film’s relentless pacing, combined with its eerie atmosphere, kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what was coming next, the entire time.

Cronenberg meticulously balances moments of intense violence with quieter, introspective scenes, creating an unsettling and immersive experience that lingered with me long after the credits rolled.

One aspect that I especially enjoyed in this film was its unique twist on the possession storyline.

Possession storylines are the holy grail of horror. We’ve seen them done time and time again, but this version is like nothing I had seen before. There’s something insanely interesting about this idea of someone’s consciousness being stuck in another body and the struggle between one's own identity and an invasive presence.

Another aspect of this movie that I really enjoyed was the “scare” aspect. This movie wasn’t littered with jump scares, hell I don’t even think I ever found myself “scared” while watching it. Ratherm I found myself with a sense of great unease and dread during and especially after the movie. It truly is psychological torment at its best and will leave you puzzled for more answers.

I think what I enjoyed most about this movie was the fact that Brandon Cronenberg trusted his audience to understand the world he created. Too many times we see a movie that explains everything to make sure that audiences understand the premise rather than realizing that audiences are smarter than you think. Cronenberg didn’t fall into this category here. He wasted little time explaining the premise or the technology involved which allowed me to focus on the core of the story — the psychological disintegration of the protagonist. This helped make the film feel lean and urgent rather than forced.

This was my first time watching the movie, and for me it’s one of those films that needs more than one viewing to absorb. I plan to watch it again and I recommend it to all horror lovers.

Be warned though, if you don’t like gore this might not be the one for you.