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Possessor

  • 2020
  • R
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
51K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,172
447
Christopher Abbott in Possessor (2020)
From the visionary mind of writer/director Brandon Cronenberg, POSSESSOR is an arresting sci-fi thriller about elite, corporate assassin Tasya Vos. Using brain-implant technology, Vos takes control of other people’s bodies to execute high profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her.
Play trailer2:12
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Body HorrorCyber ThrillerPsychological HorrorPsychological ThrillerHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

An agent works for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies - ultimately driving them to commit assassinations for high-paying clients.An agent works for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies - ultimately driving them to commit assassinations for high-paying clients.An agent works for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies - ultimately driving them to commit assassinations for high-paying clients.

  • Director
    • Brandon Cronenberg
  • Writer
    • Brandon Cronenberg
  • Stars
    • Andrea Riseborough
    • Christopher Abbott
    • Jennifer Jason Leigh
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    51K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,172
    447
    • Director
      • Brandon Cronenberg
    • Writer
      • Brandon Cronenberg
    • Stars
      • Andrea Riseborough
      • Christopher Abbott
      • Jennifer Jason Leigh
    • 411User reviews
    • 275Critic reviews
    • 72Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 15 wins & 40 nominations total

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:12
    Official Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:18
    Teaser Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:18
    Teaser Trailer
    Possessor
    Trailer 1:18
    Possessor

    Photos102

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    Top cast28

    Edit
    Andrea Riseborough
    Andrea Riseborough
    • Tasya Vos
    Christopher Abbott
    Christopher Abbott
    • Colin Tate
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    Jennifer Jason Leigh
    • Girder
    Rossif Sutherland
    Rossif Sutherland
    • Michael Vos
    Gabrielle Graham
    Gabrielle Graham
    • Holly
    Hanneke Talbot
    Hanneke Talbot
    • Katherine
    Matthew Garlick
    • Elio
    Daniel Junghuan Park
    Daniel Junghuan Park
    • Policeman
    • (as Daniel Park)
    Hrant Alianak
    Hrant Alianak
    • Lead Technician
    Rachael Crawford
    Rachael Crawford
    • Dr. Melis
    Gage Arbuthnot
    Gage Arbuthnot
    • Ira Vos
    • (as Gage Graham-Arbuthnot)
    Kathy Maloney
    Kathy Maloney
    • Reporter
    Megan Vincent
    Megan Vincent
    • Alice
    Danny Waugh
    Danny Waugh
    • Patrick
    Tuppence Middleton
    Tuppence Middleton
    • Ava Parse
    Christopher Jacot
    Christopher Jacot
    • Reid Parse
    Sean Bean
    Sean Bean
    • John Parse
    Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves
    Ayesha Mansur Gonsalves
    • Martha
    • Director
      • Brandon Cronenberg
    • Writer
      • Brandon Cronenberg
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews411

    6.550.5K
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    Featured reviews

    7mjsreg

    Makes a change from the usual

    I think this is one of those films you will love or hate.

    It is quite slow moving and you do have to pay attention to get the most from it. Personally, I enjoyed it, and it makes a change from the usual sci-fi 'factory' movies churned out by Hollywood.

    The acting, writing, and production are superb.
    6siderite

    Too Cronenberg for no reason at all

    The son of David Cronenberg wants to to a movie like Existenz, but he ultimately fails to do so. The acting is good, but the plot is really drawn out and says almost nothing in the end. Also, as many others noted, there is some gratuitous gore and violence put in which doesn't really advance the story in any way, and that extends to some other things as well.

    The entire thing revolves around people that "jockey" other people in order to do very mundane things like assassinations. The very idea is lacking imagination, considering that the premise of this film is killing people for other people that want their money and the very obvious alternative is to jockey the people directly and take their money. And then there is an entire exploration of what it means to inhabit other people's lives and minds, but it goes nowhere other than hallucinating some images.

    At least the end was good because the jockey finally got back on track and remembered her work ethic! I am kidding. The end was bad.

    Bottom line: an overly long film that shouts "Cronenberg!!!!" but needed very little of the signature characteristics of a Cronenberg movie to tell this story. I hope Brandon will find his own voice rather than bank on the same ideas his father explored. Or was it really Brandon? Maybe his father was jockeying him!
    Clearbay_327

    TL;DR Violent and disturbing, anchored by outstanding performances

    In this film, set in the near future, brain implant technology allows one person to inhabit the mind, body, and spirit of another. A clandestine corporation uses this technology to assassinate wealthy and powerful people for profit. The film explores what happens when the host starts to fight to regain control from a guest who is not entirely mentally stable, to begin with.

    Interesting enough premise. The film is set in a very bleak version of the future where cities appear to be sparsely populated (perhaps from some event that greatly reduced the population such as plague or war; a motif borrowed from Argento's Tenebre). The film relies heavily on psychotropic imagery, and this adds to the overall frightening and confusing atmosphere since most of this imagery is nightmarish (distorted faces reminiscent of David Cronenberg's The Brood, warped colors, bursts of sound and images, blurs, rapid-fire images and strobing flashes of light). The film further relies on ultra-violence as a motif that rivals even the Italian slasher films of the late 1970s and early 80s (such as Susperia, Tenembre, Opera, etc.). Possessor contains explicit sexual motifs including full male nudity and erect penises, which reminds me very much of Antichrist (2009) or The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976). These are juxtaposed with explicit imagery of knives penetrating flesh. All of this results in a nightmare landscape. The ending is purposely left confusing so that that the viewer can arrive at their own conclusions. For some viewers, this will be frustrating.

    All of this wraps up into a very worthwhile enough film, but for viewers with a more sophisticated palate (if you are looking for a Blumhouse type film Possessor is not what you are looking for). It is disturbing to be sure. However, it is very well made and anchored by two very outstanding performances from Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott. It also features Jennifer Jason Leigh and Sean Bean in very laudable supporting roles (whether or not Sean Bean dies I will not spoil). Possessor is a "Criterion Collection" caliber film that will give the viewer some satisfaction analyzing and will with you long after you see it.
    7SnoopyStyle

    interesting Cronenberg

    Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) is the Possessor. She's a corporate assassin who uses a brain implant to take over other people to do the killing. Her boss is Girder (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Her next take-over target is Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott) who is dating Ava Parse (Tuppence Middleton), the daughter of tech tycoon John Parse (Sean Bean).

    This is a Brandon Cronenberg film. It has his father penchant for blood. It's a fine sci-fi flick with a dash of style. The filming does need something more. I can't quite put my finger on it. It has style but it needs more. It has moments of intensity but it needs more. It has ideas about control and self-identity. I'm not completely bought into the character Tasya. I don't know who she is and quite frankly, she may not know herself. That would have been an interesting idea if it's clearer about being murky. All in all, this is more interesting than not. There are enough in here worthy of the Cronenberg name.
    8popovic_vlada

    The spirit of David Cronenberg lives!

    Ok, i don't usually write reviews here, although I am an avid movie fanatic.

    To be frank i wasn't familiar with Brandon Cronenberg and his work up until now, and I must say this is a treat for the fans of his Dad's work.

    The beginning is kind of meh I admit and nothing special but from the mid point towards the end it keeps getting better and better and the main thing is the beautiful atmosphere and cinematography and visuals and practical effects in the style of 80s masterpieces of his famous father.

    This is by far the most interesting movie in this "subgenre" of horror in years and maybe even from the 80s/90s and since David shifted more towards the "mainstream" if that is something you can ever say about David Cronenberg.

    Also the acting is great as is the casting. The colors and the mood of the film are really on point. Shot out to Director of photography.

    To top it all of the "ending theme" or "possessor" as it is credited in the soundtrack by Jim Williams is nothing short of a masterpiece.

    If you loved David Cronenberg's "Videodrome" or "The Scanners" or even "Dead Ringers" you will surely appreciate this one..

    Do not be thrown away by the bad reviews and take a look for yourself!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Most of the special effects in the film were done practically, with an effort to use as little VFX work as possible. The hallucination scenes' effects in particular were done in-camera. Cronenberg credits his effects specialists, Dan Martin and Derek Liscoumb, and his longtime cinematographer Karim Hussain for being able to pull off convincing visuals with a minimum of CGI.
    • Goofs
      When John Parse is being mutilated, his skin in the close-up shots of the wounds on his face looks completely different than it does in the rest of the scene. Mainly, it has a different color and is much smoother.
    • Quotes

      Colin Tate: Just think, one day your wife is cleaning the cat litter and she gets a worm in her, and that worm ends up in her brain. The next thing that happens is she gets an idea in there, too. And it's hard to say whether that idea is really hers or it's just the worm. And it makes her do certain things. Predator things. Eventually, you realize that she isn't the same person anymore. She's not the person that she used to be. It's gotta make you wonder, whether you're really married to her... or married to the worm.

    • Alternate versions
      Possessor exists as a cut US R rated version and an uncut MPA Unrated Version titled Possessor Uncut. The producers were keen to differentiate between the two versions and the 'Uncut' tag is an official re-titling of the film. UK releases are the Uncut Version and are 18 rated.
    • Connections
      Featured in Possessor/Possessor Uncut Review (What's the difference?) (2020)
    • Soundtracks
      Detroit II
      Written by Shigeto (as Zachary Shigeto Saginaw) & Marcus Elliott

      Performed by Shigeto

      Published by The Ghostly International

      Administered by Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd. & Copyright Control

      Licensed courtesy of Ghostly International

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    FAQ19

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • October 2, 2020 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United Kingdom
      • Australia
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Instagram
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Possessor: Controlador de mentes
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada(Shot on location)
    • Production companies
      • Rhombus Media
      • Rook Films
      • Arclight Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $752,885
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $252,664
      • Oct 4, 2020
    • Gross worldwide
      • $911,180
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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