Well there should be no doubt Brandon Cronenberg is not just riding his father's coattails. He is a stunning visual film maker and horrifying story teller all on his own. Possessor is the kind of story that gets under your skin and its images will stick with you long after the credits roll.
Cronenberg's script is tight and efficient, giving us just what we need without being overbearing. It allows us to fill in the missing pieces in ways that are likely more disturbing than what they could have shown us. He weaves his tale of an assassin, and the perfecting of that assassin, deftly ensuring that the real journey is told through emotions.
Possessor is a stunning visual film. The uncut version which played in theatres is gory but only in so far as it should be. Nothing felt egregious, instead the gore is there so we can feel its impact, its efficacy. But the gore isn't what Possessor is about. Cronenberg uses colour, light, and a vibrant visual style to express modes of being, transitioning so brilliantly. I think the thing that rang so true for me while watching Possessor is how viscerally honest it felt.
It is a dark film because of what it is telling us about pursuing... what, perfection? Success? This is a narrative that makes us face certain realities that are ugly to face. Perhaps that is what is terrifying about Possessor.
In duel leads, Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott are both strong, rising to the demands of their roles. There is a great deal of exciting potential on display here from a young writer/director to strong potential leading actors. But before watching what they might do next I may want to revisit Possessor to have it punch me in the gut again.
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Writer/Director: Brandon Cronenberg
No comments:
Post a Comment