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Possession

Play trailer Poster for Possession R 1981 2h 4m Horror Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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85% Tomatometer 41 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him and their son. Mark is devastated, and seeks out Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), the man who cuckolded him, only to receive a beating. After a series of violent confrontations between Mark and Anna, Mark hires a private investigator to follow her. Anna descends into madness, and it's soon clear that she is hiding a much bigger secret -- one that is both inexplicable and shocking.
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Possession

Possession

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Critics Consensus

Blending genres as effectively as it subverts expectations, Possession uses powerful acting and disquieting imagery to grapple with complex themes.

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Critics Reviews

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Rachel Syme The New Yorker The film contains one of the great gross-out scenes of all time... Oct 21, 2024 Full Review Peter Sobczynski RogerEbert.com [Possession] remains one of the most grueling, powerful, and overwhelmingly intense cinematic experiences that you are likely to have in your lifetime. Rated: 4/4 Oct 1, 2021 Full Review Ben Sachs Chicago Reader Adjani won the best actress prize at Cannes for her dual performance (as an unfaithful wife and her angelic doppelganger), but the whole cast is astonishing, exorcising painful feelings with an intensity that rivals that of the filmmaking. Jan 23, 2014 Full Review Josh Goller Spectrum Culture What begins as desperate, frenzied and often violent domestic conflict within a marriage in its last throes then unfurls into an intensely uncanny depiction of the psychological dissolution wrought by such interpersonal trauma. Oct 15, 2025 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Think 'Rosemary’s Baby' reimagined as David Cronenberg bio-horror colliding with European psycho-drama. Apr 26, 2025 Full Review Bianca Garner Filmotomy The film is essentially about the war between the sexes and the destructive nature of love. Oct 11, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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no wasn’t even the same movie lmfaooo Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/06/24 Full Review unknown Movies wasn’t even that good, it was boring and most of the time just them fighting and getting naked Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/03/22 Full Review Luis Ivan M An artful psychological thriller that borders on horror. The film is carefully structured, beginning as a domestic drama before gradually introducing unsettling, horror-like elements. It doesn’t adhere to a conventional narrative arc, which keeps viewers uncertain about where the story is headed. The characters are sharply written, even if their behavior occasionally veers into extremes. Performances are strong across the board, though the intensity of some scenes might wear down certain viewers after prolonged stretches of emotional tension. The film’s ambiguous ending leaves many questions unanswered, but this feels deliberate and thematically consistent rather than careless. While the horror elements aren’t particularly frightening, the film sustains a sense of unease and discomfort throughout. Technically, it’s exceptional with long takes, fluid camera movements, and striking sound design all heighten the film’s emotional impact. The pacing is deliberate and at times slightly overstretched, yet it consistently maintains intrigue. This isn’t a pleasant viewing experience, nor is it meant to be. The film is designed to unsettle and provoke, leaving the audience shocked and contemplative. It won’t appeal to everyone, but for film enthusiasts and genre fans, it’s a bold and rewarding piece worth experiencing and interpreting for themselves. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/12/25 Full Review Sebastian L If Zulawski's ambition was to make an intense film he surely succeeded. It doesn't mean that all the shouting and fighting catch my interest. The vision is tangible, the cinematography is great and the performances are captivating, but I still don't understand what any of the characters are going on about. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 11/03/25 Full Review nick s It certainly goes off the rails in a bizarre way. I'm not sure the director was in possession of his facalties. It did feel like artsy for the sake of artsy with some weird inexplicable stuff near the end. For the most part the acting was good, though now and then a bit rich. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 11/03/25 Full Review Los G Make no mistake, this is a truly awful film. Even its fans say that it makes no sense at all and sometimes that can be fun, but basically this is a string of disconnected scenes, mostly involving endless screaming and some truly woeful acting (Sam Neil looks like he's never been in front of the camera before). It might have worked with zanier leads, but this one is a film to miss at all costs - - unless you want a bad trip Rated 1 out of 5 stars 10/15/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Possession

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Movie Info

Synopsis After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him and their son. Mark is devastated, and seeks out Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), the man who cuckolded him, only to receive a beating. After a series of violent confrontations between Mark and Anna, Mark hires a private investigator to follow her. Anna descends into madness, and it's soon clear that she is hiding a much bigger secret -- one that is both inexplicable and shocking.
Director
Andrzej Żuławski
Producer
Marie-Laure Reyre
Screenwriter
Frederic Tuten, Andrzej Żuławski
Production Co
Gaumont, Marianne Productions, Oliane Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
2h 4m
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