Possessor

"No body is safe."

2020 1h 43m EN

😐

6.4

MID

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

6.5

IMDB

★6.4TMDB · 1,120●72Metacritic★6.5IMDB · 53,181

HorrorThrillerScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Tasya Vos, an elite corporate assassin, uses brain-implant technology to take control of other people’s bodies to terminate high profile targets. As she sinks deeper into her latest assignment, Vos becomes trapped inside a mind that threatens to obliterate her.

“No body is safe.”

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Cast

Andrea Riseborough
Tasya Vos
Christopher Abbott
Colin Tate
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Girder
Sean Bean
John Parse
Tuppence Middleton
Ava Parse
Rossif Sutherland
Michael Vos
Kaniehtiio Horn
Reeta
Raoul Bhaneja
Eddie

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Brandon Cronenberg
Writers: Brandon Cronenberg
Languages: English
Countries: Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $2.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 36% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 6 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Brandon Cronenberg, shot by Karim Hussain. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jim Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Matthew Hannam shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott and Jennifer Jason Leigh carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Brandon Cronenberg directs. Karim Hussain behind the camera. Jim Williams scores. Matthew Hannam cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $2.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Earned back only 36% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
3Released 6 years ago.
4International production across 4 countries: Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America.
5Directed by Brandon Cronenberg, shot by Karim Hussain. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Jim Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Matthew Hannam shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott and Jennifer Jason Leigh carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "No body is safe.".
10IMDB entry: tt5918982 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 19 themes, including "mind control", "assassin", "gun", "dystopia".

The technical file

Cinematography: Karim Hussain
Original score: Jim Williams
Editing: Matthew Hannam
Production design: Rupert Lazarus
Makeup / hair: Dorota Mitoraj
VFX supervisor: Murray Barber
Sound: Martin Pavey
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $2,500,000
Box office: $911,000
Return: 36% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Possessor (2020)
Metacritic: 72/100
IMDB rating: 6.5/10 · 53,181 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

15 wins & 40 nominations total

Sitges Film Festival Best Director award
Sitges Film Festival Best Feature-Length Film award

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Brandon Cronenberg

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

SWITCH.2020-10-21
★ 8/10
The Cronenberg name is tightly associated with the body horror genre, and rightfully so. 'Possessor' feels like a fever dream, delivering unsettling violence, thought-provoking creativity and remorseless direction. Its revelations about the monsters within, summed up in its shockingly grim climax, have a lasting resonance. - Jake Watt Read Jake's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-possessor-engrossingly-gross-cronenbergian-body-horror
Repo Jack2020-11-08
★ 7/10
I just wrote a review about how mainstream critics don't "get" horror, elevating attempts at filmmaking "art" over the basics that horror fans love. "Possessor" is an exception where critics (72 Metacritic Score) and users (7.6 Metacritic Score) agree that it's a pretty damn good flick. The acting is excellent. Andrea Riseborough from "Mandy" is creepy odd (again) as a mind-possessing assassin, and Christopher Abbott from "It Comes at Night" is a depressed AND possessed soul for the next assassination. There are too many adjectives to list to give the film justice, so here's just a few: disturbing, violent, bloody, mind-bending, visual, provocative, While Brandon Cronenberg may have a similar interest in melding technology and horror as his father David Cronenberg, he is introducing his own style and originality. Very much like like Joe Hill has done with father Stephen King. All of which is nothing but a bonus for horror fans.
Manuel São Bento2020-12-30
★ 8/10
If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com In a year where the horror genre didn't have that many great representatives, Brandon Cronenberg's remarkably captivating concept is an instant attention-grabber. Boasting two phenomenal performances from Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott (Colin Tate), Possessor is one of the most visually shocking films of 2020. From the extreme gore to the unrestrained depiction of insanely violent murders, Cronenberg fills his movie with creepy imagery that will definitely trigger many viewers to simply give up. Its slow pace helps establish the never-ending suspenseful atmosphere, which ultimately delivers some of the most intense sequences I've seen in a long time. Despite the interesting narrative and its eye-opening developments, Possessor fails to keep the momentum going throughout the entire runtime. The weird imagery helps with visual storytelling, but it reaches a point where it becomes too distracting and unnecessary. The third act is also quite predictable, contrasting with the somewhat surprising first half. In the end, it's still one of my favorite horror films of the year. Rating: B+