Possum

I enjoyed the first half. It was atmospheric, intriguing, bleak but beautiful. In the second half it starts rehearsing itself as if just to fill time. Very slowly leads it up to the exact conclusion you thought it would have. The latter isn't necessarily bad just feels unrewarding after sitting through so much filler.

I hadn't heard of this gem until I saw the poster for it on Amazon Prime, which instantly intrigued me. I thought for sure it would be awful, and didn't expect to make it more than 20 minutes in, but I was in a weird mood, it was raining outside, and this seemed fitting to watch. I ended up enjoying it enough to watch again a few months later. A second viewing made it all come together which made me like it even more.

This is a slow, repetitive film, and I can see why some people would think it's boring, confusing, and/or very strange (maybe even stupid). I don't know why I'm not one of those people. I never got bored, and I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and weirdness. Watching it the second time, everything fit perfectly and what was confusing the first time around made complete sense this time. There isn't any conversation or imagery that doesn't fit with the story. In fact, now I notice how deliberate the director was in his choices, and it's all very impressive to me. Sean Harris is incredible in this film. I have only seen a few of his other roles and this was so different and dark for him. Possum showcases what a great actor he really is.

This is not an uplifting story by any means. There are very uncomfortable moments, and some ambiguity which makes it hard at times to know what to feel. It's not exactly horror, although there are creepy and intense moments. I'd say it's more psychological/metaphorical. If you have an open mind, are into weird and dark movies, this may be for you. I didn't expect to like it so much, but I'm really happy I gave it a chance. I'm actually a bit sad to see so many low ratings.

This was a legitimately solid movie. It somehow managed to feel strange albeit perverted without the use of any exploitive tropes. The feeling of unease definitely comes from the puppet itself; the use of old grungy synths adds to it's abrasively painful presence. The perforemances were never theatrical, but still has the edge of beingn satirical without ever being 'funny'. Expect to get creeped out//or at least uncomfortable when watching. I watched during the daytime and was still frazzled for angood 2 hours after watching. Brit Horror doesnit again. 7/10

'Possum (2018)' is a psychological thriller laden with symbolism and metaphor, both of which aren't fully fathomable until the credits have rolled. Once they have, however, the piece's previously enigmatic images and implications become much more impactful. In fact, they become downright disturbing. This is the true strength of the bizarre little tale: its retrospective horror. Of course, it has in-the-moment merit, too. This includes, but isn't limited to, a fantastic lead performance from Harris, a creepily ethereal score and some successful surrealist imagery. The spidery puppet that stalks the protagonist is rather alarming, especially when it decides to move. It's not so much a 'creature' as a reflection of both the lead's long-buried trauma and film's true meaning, which collate in a truly harrowing final scene. Obviously, the flick isn't perfect. It's pretty slow and, even, repetitive, especially as it moves into its second act. It also asks quite a lot of its audience, in the sense that it requires total engagement in order for its payoff to really stick. I can see why some haven't connected with it. However, its atmosphere and general intrigue are more than enough for me. When all is said and done, it forms a cohesive and actually quite (unconventionally) scary experience. It's not a nice film, but it's undeniably an affecting one. 7/10

It's rare today for a horror film to respect its audience as much as 'Possum' does. Horror films that ask their audience to concentrate, think and solve are becoming less and less popular. All people seem to want is the fast-food horror that 'The Conjuring' universe spews out 3-4 times a year. And that's fine if horror isn't the genre you go to when you're looking for a heavy and deep film, but I would suggest you are missing out on some rare treats like 'Possum'.

What's going to hurt this film with audiences the most is that it is admittedly very slow. A lot of the dialogue is cryptic and there is basically no action. Despite this though I found I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It was almost hypnotising in a way. I was determined to work out exactly what the film was trying to tell me.

The film asks a lot of you. First of all to understand what it all means, and then to understand a twist through that same lens. I was fairly confident I had understood most of it, but I did read an explanation thread on the film afterwards just to be sure I had it right. Needless to say this film won't be for everyone, and some could even argue this isn't really a horror film, but if you feel like a challenge I'd recommend giving it a look.