POSSESSOR: A Brutal Slice Of Singular Sci-Fi
8 years after his debut, Antiviral, writer/director Brandon Cronenberg returns with an electrifying new sci-fi thriller that’s equal parts brutal and chic. With POSSESSOR, Cronenberg cooks up a mind-melting experience that invades the senses in the best possible ways, proving yet again that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), an elite, corporate assassin, 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.
From the mid-70s (beginning with 1975’s Shivers) rolling up through the late-90s (with 1999’s Existenz) Canadian writer/director David Cronenberg left an indelible impact on the horror and thriller genres. Specifically, he brought a uniquely grotesque and psychological slant to the body horror sub-genre that birthed in the 1950s with Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Blob, and The Fly (which he later eclipsed with his Jeff Goldblum remake). Inarguably, his greatest period was in the 80s where his violent, gory, and bizarre practical effect mutations earned him the moniker "The Master of Body Horror,” but his late career eschews his horror roots in favor of drama and gangster films, which comes somewhat as a disappointment.
Well, if you ever worried that we wouldn’t get a return to the body horror goodness of Cronenberg’s earlier work, don’t fear. His son, Brandon, has assumed the Cronenberg mantle, and he’s proved once again that the family dynasty is in safe and capable hands. His father may have lost interest in the gory, horror-tinged sci-fi thriller, but Brandon has a taken sharp aim at the genre. With both Antiviral and POSSESSOR, the young Cronenberg shows that he has the keen eye, stylish flair, and weirdness to match his father’s sophisticated and provocative nature.
POSSESSOR wraps you up in the sci-fi dystopia of its setting from the word go. Its cold and effective prologue, featuring a compelling cameo from Gabrielle Graham, not only sets the stage for what follows, but it echoes the injustices we’ve being seeing within the black community, which gives it a tremendous impact that commands attention. Its central plot takes the shape of a bizarro assassination ring that’s run by a secretive corporation that uses brain probes to take over — or possess — those close to their target so they can be eliminated without any knowledge — or evidence — to connect them to the crime. The titular “possessor” is Tasya Vos (who is played terrifically by actress extraordinaire Andrea Riseborough), and she’s a complicated animal. She has become so accustomed to assuming the identities of others that when she finds herself in the real world, she needs to rehearse her “performance” with them, revealing her unsteady footing as a normal civilian.
Contrasting her work in “possession” against the shaky foundation of her reality, Tasya is a brutal infiltrator and a veritable chameleon. She is essentially a corporate puppet who commits secretive murder for the benefit of the corporation, who views her less as a human and more like an asset. The acts of murder that she commits are so savage that they will have you peeking from behind covered eyes. Very rarely is violence this visceral; nothing about it looks glamorous or “fun.” When Tasya takes a job to Colin Tate (played terrifically by Christopher Abbott), Tasya’s world — as well as the corporation — nearly crumble.
Melding the style of MANDY with the gonzo sci-fi of Existenz and the layered performances of Face/Off, POSSESSOR creates a journey that’s gripping and visually mesmerizing; it’s a singular slice of sci-fi that thoroughly thrills and cerebrally stimulates. While it might not fully explore the world its characters’ inhabit, it builds the kind of world that you can expound upon with your imagination. It absolutely will not be for everyone, but it’s the kind of daring, bold cinematic exploration that we’d like to see more of. It is impeccably crafted, elegantly directed, and adorned with two incredible lead performances and a hearty dose of savage violence.
Recommendation: If you’re thirsty for that old school Cronenberg sci-fi body horror, Brandon Cronenberg’s latest has exactly what you need to fill that void.
Rating: 5 visceral acts of violence outta 5.
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