--- title: "Possessor: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/possessor/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/possessor" critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 25 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Possessor (2020): what the critics said Critics' score 75 from 25 reviews: 19 positive, 4 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics come away rattled and impressed. Nineteen of twenty-five reviews are positive, and the praise gathers in two places: the body horror, done in camera with practical effects, and the two leads. Andrea Riseborough’s slow loss of self and Christopher Abbott’s fight between host and intruder are named repeatedly as what holds the film together. The production design and sound are mentioned often, and several reviewers note that Brandon Cronenberg’s ideas and methods are his own rather than his father’s. The reservations are about the shape of the story. More than one critic finds the final third drifts into abstraction, and IndieWire thinks the ending falls short of the set-up. Others say the coldness and the brutality keep viewers at a distance. The spread is wide: /Film gives it full marks, while The Wrap finds it accomplished to look at and empty underneath, and a waste of Riseborough. Consequence objects to unexamined racial imagery in the opening scene. ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2020. Bradshaw finds the film an ingenious, unsettling sci-fi horror with a disturbing final twist. He praises its thought-through premise and queasy allegory of corporate control and surveillance. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/nov/26/possessor-review-brandon-cronenberg-andrea-riseborough-sc0fi-horror) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2020. Debruge praises the film as a bold, unsettling work with ideas and execution distinct from its director’s famous father. He singles out the lead performances and the inventive visual techniques that convey the characters’ struggle for control. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/possessor-review-david-cronenbergs-son-shows-he-has-a-will-of-his-own-1234789622/) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2020. Newland finds the film stylish, brutal, and genuinely unnerving, calling it one of the year’s most unforgettable viewing experiences. She especially praises Andrea Riseborough’s portrayal of a woman losing her sense of self and the film’s eerie production design and score. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/possessor-smartest-scary-movie-2020-brandon-cronenberg-review-773063) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating B+. 1 October 2020. Dowd finds Possessor a stylish, provocative blend of science fiction and visceral horror, though it sometimes favors thrills over ideas. He praises Andrea Riseborough’s performance and the film’s unsettling exploration of identity. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/brandon-cronenberg-does-his-name-proud-with-the-nightma-1845234932) ## Little White Lies — Leila Latif Rating 4/4/4. 23 November 2020. The critic finds the film fascinating and exhausting, calling it a nightmare that lingers. She praises its uncanny world-building, especially the detailed production design and sinister soundscape. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/possessor) ## Radio Times — Josh Winning Rating 4/5. The review is positive about Cronenberg’s audacious science-fiction horror. It singles out the queasy body horror and wickedly clever assassin plot for praise. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qyuejy/possessor/) ## Time Out — Zach Long Rating 4/5. 7 October 2020. The review gives the film a positive verdict. It singles out its grisly, mind-bending science-fiction approach as worthy of Cronenberg’s father. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/possessor) ## The Hollywood Reporter — John DeFore Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 25 January 2020. Festival review. DeFore gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it sleekly executed and of its time. He singles out the unsettling visual effects and the performances by Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbott. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/possessor-review-1272650/) ## Empire — Chris Hewitt Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 23 November 2020. Hewitt finds the film compelling, original and well presented, though its clinical chilliness may keep audiences at arm’s length. He praises its unsettling visuals and psychological exploration of identity and control. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/possessor/) ## RogerEbert.com — Nick Allen Rating 3/4. 2 October 2020. The review finds the film an unsettling, effective science-fiction thriller. It praises the performances and Cronenberg’s disturbing, inventive approach to identity and violence. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/possessor-movie-review-2020) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2020. The critic finds the film visually arresting and intellectually sharp, though its brutality can be bludgeoning. They praise its vivid imagery and its probing of identity and dehumanisation. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/possessor-brandon-cronenberg-andrea-riseborough-remote-assassin) ## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen Rating 3/4. 28 September 2020. Bowen finds the film a disturbing, visually forceful exploration of identity and technological control. He particularly praises its tactile, in-camera body horror and the surreal imagery of its battle over possession. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/possessor-review-brandon-cronenberg/) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating B-. 26 January 2020. Festival review. Ehrlich finds the film engrossing but muddled, with its story and third act failing to realize its potential. He especially praises the visceral body-transfer sequences, practical effects, and imagery of competing identities. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/possessor-review-sundance-1202205838/) ## Los Angeles Times — Noel Murray Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2020. The critic finds the film ambitious and ultimately effective, despite its increasingly abstract final third. Riseborough’s wounded, compelling performance is singled out as the element that grounds the film’s disturbing ideas. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-10-01/review-possessor-andrea-riseborough) ## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2020. Festival review. The visible page identifies this as a Sundance review but does not expose the critic’s verdict. Its standfirst describes the film as a lurid sci-fi thriller starring Andrea Riseborough. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/possessor-sundance-review/5146251.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2020. The review’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be verified from the accessible page. The page returned only a JavaScript and ad-blocker message. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/movies/possessor-review.html) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2020. Willmore finds the film troubling and visually enthralling, but says it does not fully cohere. She especially praises its alien corporate world, while criticizing the thin characterization at its center. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-possessor-directed-by-brandon-cronenberg.html) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 10/10. 26 January 2020. Festival review. The critic calls the film singular, horrifying, and exciting, while acknowledging that its extreme violence will appall some viewers. They praise Christopher Abbott’s demanding performance and Cronenberg’s precise, controlled direction. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/571895/possessor-review/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The critic calls it an intelligent, wildly ambitious sci-fi ride and praises its visceral practical effects. They also single out the vivid visuals and the lead performances for making its identity-conflict themes compelling. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/possessor-review/) ## The Ringer — Miles Surrey Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2020. Surrey gives the film a strongly positive verdict, praising its surreal, dread-inducing mood and striking visuals. He singles out its unsettling body-hijacking imagery and critique of technology as especially memorable. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2020/10/02/movies/possessor-brandon-cronenberg-review) ## The Playlist — Robert Daniels Rating B. 26 January 2020. Festival review. Daniels finds the film uneven but ultimately exhilarating, despite weak pacing and underdeveloped themes. He praises Christopher Abbott’s performance and the striking visuals, lighting, and practical effects. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/possessor-sundance-review-20200126/) ## NME Fi1m's normalised score 76/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The critic finds the film ambitious and unsettling, though its abundance of ideas sometimes obscures its central thread. Riseborough and Abbott’s performances are singled out, with Riseborough’s emotional grounding especially praised. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/possessor-review-brandon-cronenberg-2792606) ## Eye for Film — Jeremy Mathews Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2020. Mathews finds the film distinctive and unsettling, though not always coherent. He praises Christopher Abbott’s controlled portrayal of the struggle between host and possessor. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/possessor-2020-film-review-by-jeremy-mathews) ## Consequence — Clint Worthington Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2020. Festival review. Worthington finds the film provocative and appealing, though its extremities do not always work. He praises its neon-soaked atmosphere and practical effects, while criticizing the unexamined racial imagery in its opening scene. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2020/01/sundance-film-review-possessor/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2020. The critic finds the film visually accomplished but ultimately dispiriting, with little emotional substance. They particularly praise the cinematography and disorienting effects while faulting the film for neglecting character and wasting Andrea Riseborough. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/possessor-film-review-brandon-cronenberg-andrea-riseborough/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/possessor.md