After returning to his childhood home, a disgraced children's puppeteer is forced to confront his wicked stepfather and the secrets that have tortured his entire life.After returning to his childhood home, a disgraced children's puppeteer is forced to confront his wicked stepfather and the secrets that have tortured his entire life.After returning to his childhood home, a disgraced children's puppeteer is forced to confront his wicked stepfather and the secrets that have tortured his entire life.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 2 nominations total
Andreas Christophi
- Child on Train 2
- (as Andreas Christoph)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
I really don't understand how this film only has a 5.6 rating on here. Are we really that desperate to get baited with a jumpscare that a good film like this will simply get overlooked and criticized for simply building up suspense?
Anyways, while the movie may tend to get a bit tedious towards the midpoint, it does tend to feed you just enough information to keep you intrigued until the last half hour, which is absolutely exceptional and possibly the most scared I've ever been watching a horror. However, that does not change that fact that if you miss a tidbit of info, you may become lost and therefore uninvested in the film from there. Sean Harris and Alun Armstrong both do exceptional jobs in their roles in this film; their performances alone are worth seeing this film. The puppet or "Possum" is pure nightmare fuel, and some of the practical affects of this film are really quite convincing in making it seem alive. The soundtrack by the Radiophonic Workshop in this film is unbelievable, and I don't think this movie would be able to succeed without it.
There's also countless metaphors throughout the movie, several shots that pay homage to movies such as Trainspotting, and an absolutely shocking ending. However, it's probably best that there are no spoilers on this review, and instead recommend that you see this film yourself. If you're into horror movies with a large level of suspense throughout, without relying on the easy satisfaction of jumpscares, this film should definitely be next on your list.
Anyways, while the movie may tend to get a bit tedious towards the midpoint, it does tend to feed you just enough information to keep you intrigued until the last half hour, which is absolutely exceptional and possibly the most scared I've ever been watching a horror. However, that does not change that fact that if you miss a tidbit of info, you may become lost and therefore uninvested in the film from there. Sean Harris and Alun Armstrong both do exceptional jobs in their roles in this film; their performances alone are worth seeing this film. The puppet or "Possum" is pure nightmare fuel, and some of the practical affects of this film are really quite convincing in making it seem alive. The soundtrack by the Radiophonic Workshop in this film is unbelievable, and I don't think this movie would be able to succeed without it.
There's also countless metaphors throughout the movie, several shots that pay homage to movies such as Trainspotting, and an absolutely shocking ending. However, it's probably best that there are no spoilers on this review, and instead recommend that you see this film yourself. If you're into horror movies with a large level of suspense throughout, without relying on the easy satisfaction of jumpscares, this film should definitely be next on your list.
This film was brilliant, it has a haunting charm and is the only film (other than Donnie Darko and Hereditary) that left me jaw-dropped by the time the screen cut to black and the credits rolled.
This film has beautiful cinematography, haunting soundtrack and even better acting. Seriously, Sean Harris does a fantastic job, the way he manipulates his eyes to represent the torture his character goes through is genuinely scary.
Need I talk about the uncle character? I won't spoil anything but, Jesus, his character makes me unsettled and uncomfortable everytime he is on screen.
I love this film a lot, it's not a scary film, but definitely a haunting one.
I really don't get the criticisms: I don't see how it was boring at all, it was an hour and a half long and despite feeling like a slow burn, it has a surprisingly fast pace. It's not dull, it's bleak, quiet and grey. Also, it's not a horror movie!!! Stop saying it's a bad horror because it's a thriller, it's a study on the psyche of an incredibly tortured soul. Don't go into this expecting a horror movie.
This film has beautiful cinematography, haunting soundtrack and even better acting. Seriously, Sean Harris does a fantastic job, the way he manipulates his eyes to represent the torture his character goes through is genuinely scary.
Need I talk about the uncle character? I won't spoil anything but, Jesus, his character makes me unsettled and uncomfortable everytime he is on screen.
I love this film a lot, it's not a scary film, but definitely a haunting one.
I really don't get the criticisms: I don't see how it was boring at all, it was an hour and a half long and despite feeling like a slow burn, it has a surprisingly fast pace. It's not dull, it's bleak, quiet and grey. Also, it's not a horror movie!!! Stop saying it's a bad horror because it's a thriller, it's a study on the psyche of an incredibly tortured soul. Don't go into this expecting a horror movie.
This is definitely an audience splitter, since the material itself is very dark and not so frequent on entertaining scenes. When that is said, the movie is very interesting and has a great atmosphere overall.
The main character played by Sean Harris, is a career turning point for the actor, as it is above everything else he has done before! it's emotional and gripping till the very end.
When the movie ends, everything comes together and all the plot points from before suddenly makes sense. Some of the scenes building up in the beginning, can feel a bit tiresome because of the slow tempo and the long unbroken cuts. Some of the scenes might feel a bit irrelevant, although not lesser interesting because of that.
A very solid produced film, with great performances and a very nerving atmosphere that haunts you long after the movie ends.
The main character played by Sean Harris, is a career turning point for the actor, as it is above everything else he has done before! it's emotional and gripping till the very end.
When the movie ends, everything comes together and all the plot points from before suddenly makes sense. Some of the scenes building up in the beginning, can feel a bit tiresome because of the slow tempo and the long unbroken cuts. Some of the scenes might feel a bit irrelevant, although not lesser interesting because of that.
A very solid produced film, with great performances and a very nerving atmosphere that haunts you long after the movie ends.
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 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.
Found this little gem on Halloween and glad I did. Even though it's not a typical horror persae I would lump it in with Babadook. However I found this movie had more weight than Babadook. Possum is emotionally and psychologically heavy and even though it's a slow burner (some may tire easy) it does hold your attention with very few actors. The film is very atmospheric and does not rely on jump scares but paints a very sad picture indeed. Bleak and sinister af the end made me feel sick, worth a watch.
Did you know
- TriviaPhilip (Sean Harris) does not smile once through this film. In fact he wears a frown throughout more than 95% of the movie.
- How long is Possum?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $33,225
- Runtime
- 1h 25m(85 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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