Possessor (2020)

If you weren’t aware that director Brandon Cronenberg was David’s son before watching Possessor, you’d still probably bring his Father up as a reference point. Following up his 2012 directorial debut Antiviral, Brandon combines psychological and, somewhat unsurprisingly, body horror to glorious fruition. It’s a fascinating concept; Tasya Vos (a truly fantastic Andrea Riseborough) is a corporate assassin, who takes control of other peoples bodies using brain implant technology to execute high profile targets. Her latest target, Colin (an equally superb Christopher Abbott) puts a major spanner in the works when his subsumed subconscious starts to fight back. It’s chillingly low key as well as being extremely violent, but the violence in fits and starts proves supremely efficient in shocking you. The body horror comes mainly in the sub conscious mind; it might not be physically happening but the pain and suffering is no less for it. Riseborough and Abbott play a brilliant two hander, ably supported by cameos from Sean Bean and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Tasya’s arc is one that grips you from start to finish, she’s moved out of her family home to close herself off meaning she’s more efficient at her job, but inevitably this causes problems of withdrawal from her husband and son. You really don’t know where Possessor will end up and that’s yet another strength of the film; it might leave you cold but where that might usually be a weakness, Possessor ensures you’re gripped in this world of icy hearts and brutal violence for the duration. Brandon Cronenberg is well on his way to emulating his Father in the best way possible. 7.9/10