This film will be released at select theaters and drive-ins October 2nd.
There are many filmmakers who have earned reputations as being provocateurs, making features that push buttons and stretch the boundaries of cinema. David Cronenberg (Videodrome, Naked Lunch, Crash), Alejandro Jodorowsky (El Topo, Santa Sangre) and Lars Von Trier (Antichrist, Nymphomaniac Vol. I and Vol. II, The House That Jack Built) and are just a few examples of moviemakers who march to the beat of their own drummer, finding large cult followings while simultaneously upsetting audiences looking for more conventional entertainment.
The new film Possessor is from Brandon Cronenberg, the son of David Cronenberg. While the two people have different filmic voices and approaches, in some respects the younger member of the family certainly follows in the footsteps of his father. There can be no doubt that that both are not bothered by disturbing imagery and complex ideas. Admittedly, this picture will horrify many viewers, but it’s a bold and transfixing exercise that slowly takes hold and pushes audiences down a transfixingly dark and chilling path. You won’t exactly have a wonderful feeling watching the movie, but it’s almost impossible to look away from.
The story follows Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) who works as a unique kind of assassin for a corporate organization. Her boss Girder (Jennifer Jason Leigh) uses advanced brain implant technology to hook up the employee up to a machine that transfers her mind into the body of another person, possessing them for a few days. Taking control and impersonating the actions of figure familiar to the target allows the killer to get close, commit the crime and be transported back into her own body… all without leaving evidence of the real person responsible for the act. Vos’ latest assignment is to execute business tycoon John Parse (Sean Bean). She is quickly implanted into Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott), an employee at Parse’s firm who is dating the CEO’s daughter, Ava (Tuppence Middleton). Alas, Vos’ history of body jumps begins causing side effects, including bizarre visions that lead to various complications.
While incredibly violent, early sections of the movie featuring Girder, Vos and her eventual host are still performed in a very cold and subdued manner, which does take some getting used to. However, as Vos begins to suffer jarring symptoms from the technology, Colin starts to display more and more odd behavior. These strange ticks show a person struggling to keep control of her host’s actions, and the events onscreen become more and more engaging and increasingly tense as the story progresses.
Riseborough has a lot to take on as the icy protagonist on the verge of losing any sense of order and humanity due to the cumulative effects of her body jumps and brutal profession. Everything about her life is rehearsed, including “normal” interactions with family members. The performer is excellent in the role, while Abbott’s work as the man she is inhabiting is also impressive. As Vos finds herself trapped in her host for much longer than anticipated, Abbott is required to display evidence of her personality in his body, as well as show conflict over who is in control in a given moment.
In truth, it’s an incredible concept that has so much potential. In fact, one almost wishes that it had delved even deeper into the inner landscape of the lead and elaborated even more on the complications that the procedure causes the assassin. We also don’t get much background as to the reasons for the company’s actions or how it all came to occur, although not providing any information may actually make the experience all the more distressing. Instead, the movie demands that viewers pick up cues in subtle comments and responses from the leads.
And as mentioned in the opening paragraph, Cronenberg has no issues showing everything in a blunt manner. When Vos finds herself in danger and acting unpredictably, the depiction is unsettling. This isn’t typical Hollywood violence being shown in a stylized manner. The brutal attacks featured are wince-inducing and hard to look at, involving horrific stabbings and other grotesque acts. Even overt sexuality isn’t shied away from in the film’s uncut form.
Admittedly, this is an incredibly downbeat and disturbing effort that won’t strike everyone’s fancy. However, the movie features a powerful concept and fully committed cast members, resulting in a feature that is disquieting and hard to shake off. Assuming the intent was to get viewers to think about the voyeuristic, violent and potentially horrifying uses of modern technology, as well as how we all are slowly losing our connection to basic humanity and compassion in the process, Possessor accomplishes its distressing ambitions with horrific aplomb.