Skip to main content

THE POSSESSION REVIEW



  People have different kinds of Sunday rituals like going to church, or watching football. There are also those who like to drive around the neighborhood looking for garage sales. They might be searching for something specific, such as clothing, or books. Maybe they get lucky and find hidden treasure. And then there are those who unfortunately find boxes that end up containing something purely evil.
  Recently divorced, Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and Stephanie (Kyra Sedgewick) are sharing custody of their two young daughters, Em (Natasha Calis) and Hannah (Madison Davenport). It’s Clyde’s turn to have the girls, and he surprises the girls by taking them to a new home he has just purchased. The girls realize this about ends any hope of their parents getting back together. The next day they head out, and Em tells her dad to stop at a garage sale to pick up some stuff for the new home. Em stubbles upon an unusual box with no clue what lies in store for her. Soon enough Em starts acting strangely. Dad thinks it’s because of the divorce, but it’s something far worse than that.
  Lets start off by saying “The Possession” is better than another exorcism movie “The Devil Inside,” which premiered earlier this year. Two big reasons this movie is better are it provides better attempts to freak out the audience, and it keeps the story moving. In some exorcism movies, a lot of the focus on the possessed person is making them bend and twist in unnatural ways. While there is some of that in this movie, they add a sense that the spirit is physically in Em at times, and is trying to get out. They do an especially good job manipulating Em’s face, and eyes in certain scenes.
  There are two scenes that particularly stand out. Audiences might have caught a glimpse of the first one in the trailers, as they see Em stand in front of her bathroom mirror. Obviously something freaky is going to happen, and it does. What helps this scene work is how they set it up with another scene prior to it. It kind of gives the audience a certain expectation, but something a little different comes up. The other scene is when Stephanie takes Em to the hospital, and doctors decide to do an MRI on her. MRI’s are scary enough without adding a young possessed girl. This scene is a good example of the intensity they create as they lead the audience into the scare.
  As previously mentioned, this story moves right along. It starts off with a bang, and then audiences get a brief look at where this family is at the present time. Once Em gets the box, it becomes a series of set ups for scares without much wasted dialogue. While it’s set at a good pace, there might be one or two places that need a little more explaining. Maybe those scenes were edited, but it almost seems like the audience misses something. There are also some small details they ignore, such as when the mother hurts her feet but apparently is a quick healer. The ending might be predictable, but it shouldn’t leave the same sour taste in your mouth as “The Devil Inside” does.
  The acting isn’t terrible, but there are some scenes that feel like they didn’t quite nail it. For example, there is a scene where Clyde pleads to these priests to help him save his daughter. Jeffrey is trying to be as emotional as he can, but that is the problem. The audience can see him trying instead of it being more natural. Kyra is all right, but it’s hard to judge her because more of the focus is on Jeffrey’s character. Natasha does well with her expressions, and becomes a scary enough little girl. They don’t really overwhelm her with a lot of lines to master.
  For those who like to buy weird stuff at garage sales, “The Possession” might make you think twice about it. It might not scare audiences out of their seats, but it does have a fair share of freaky scenes. While the story moves along quickly, it does overlook some small details, and may even need a bit more explanation. No one steals the show, but the acting is good enough. If anything, it proves to be a better exorcism movie than “The Devil Inside,” so I give it 2.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

Comments

  1. Thank goodness that I finally found a review on this movie. I’ve been wondering if this movie was any good. I love how you made a comparison to The Devil Inside because I wasn’t sure how I felt about that movie after watching it. I’ll be renting Possession through my Blockbuster @ Home account. I can just add it to my queue and it gets shipped right to my front door. It keeps me from running all over town trying to rent movies which saves me money. A Dish co-worker suggested Blockbuster and after I tried it out, I decided to keep it. I had no idea that Kyra Sedgwick’s role in the movie is so limited but it still sounds like it’s definitely one I want to watch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you found my review. Lots of people complained about the Devil Inside, but I think this movie proves to be better. Definitely good if you are renting it. Yea, I was a little surprised Kyra didn't have a bigger role, but the movie focuses more on the father-daughter relationship. Thanks for commenting!

      Delete
  2. Great review! That bathroom mirror scene had me feeling like I'd been through the same body horror. I saw The Possession in the theater, but if I see it again, it'll be either on streaming or DVD through my Netflix account. I heard about Netflix from an ad on Google. It's amazing, you just put the movies in your queue and then the post office sends them via a magic unicorn. I did the free trial, and I liked it so much I decided to keep it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great review! one of my favorite possession style films. I loved the cast in this one especially. It's a good watch and i have always found the legend of the dybbuk box fascinating!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE WRATH OF BECKY REVIEW

  Two years after she escaped a violent attack on her family, Becky attempts to rebuild her life in the care of an older woman - a kindred spirit named Elena. But when a group known as the “Noble Men” break into their home, attack them, and take her beloved dog, Diego, Becky must return to her old ways to protect herself and her loved ones. Starring: Lulu Wilson, Seann William Scott, and Denise Burse Directed and written by: Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote EXCLUSIVELY IN THEATERS:  May 26, 2023 Check out the video below and find out how many pools of blood it received...

TOP 10 HORROR MOVIES OF 2023

  Here’s my list of the top 10 horror movies of 2023! Some surprises probably! We can agree on some maybe! Let me know your thoughts and favorites!

THE PUPPETMAN REVIEW

  The Puppetman, a convicted killer on death row always maintained his innocence and that it was an evil force controlling his body as he slaughtered his victims. Now Michal, the killer's daughter, begins to suspect that there may be some truth to her fathers claim when those around her begin to die in brutal ways. She must try and break the curse of The Puppetman before all her loved ones are killed. Starring: Alyson Gorske, Michael Paré, and Caryn Richman Directed by: Brandon Christensen Written by: Brandon Christensen, Ryan Christensen, and Matt Manjourides Check out the video below and find out how many pools of blood it received...