aarosedi Both the lead actors have managed to convey through their craft the anguish of wanting to escape the bondage of irrationality that has them on a firm grip, to break free of a place where utter madness thrives that is like a black hole where everything gets sucked in. Infectious madness. Horrific scenes depicted that is both spine-tingling and downright repugnant. Interpreting the film as an allegory of a failed marriage is the nearest thing some can reach as a satisfying explanation to much of the harrowing mess captured on screen. But my take on the symbolism is that it has something to do with Mr. Zulawski opting to protect the innocence of some of the audience who might not yet be able to recognize what those darker subtexts are, cryptic issues that are better left for people with an unshakeable disposition to ponder on. I love the mind-blowing surrealness of the film. But that ultimately drags the film into being just an acquired taste that only belongs to that list of films that have almost reached the peak of horror film brilliance. My rating: A-flat.

rbbdagge I am glad I watched this film alone on DVD because I would have been embarrassed sitting in a cinema with other people. The acting is both artificial and appalling, and the script (?) risible. There simply is no meaning or sense to most (any?) of what is said (or done). Yeah, I get the mental breakdown bit bla bla bla, but even so..... If you love that type of thing, great - go, see it and inject your own meaning to a very blank canvas; if not, stay well away. And no, I am not a fan of Star Wars-type films.

Shane Craig This is an amazing film. This movie is heavy. It's tough, it's disturbing, it's violent, and it's intense, but it's really good. I had to stop for a second afterwards because I was like, "Uh...I think I got it." The ending is very open, but I think there's a clear meaning to it. It has got to be one of the best, if not the best, endings I have ever seen to a film. The last fifteen minutes I didn't stop making noise. I was yelling at my projector, nearly jumping out my seat, and more. This film is an amazing experience. The performances are absolutely outstanding. I could feel every situation. The breakdowns, the arguments, the fights, everything was so realistically done and I was very impressed in that regard. The best piece of acting is the tunnel scene. I was shocked at how disturbing that scene was, but Isabella Adjani carries that scene so perfectly and that's what makes it more difficult to watch. These characters are very flawed, so I think each cast member understood how the emotion should be in each scene. I think every actor understood their character, specifically Isabella Adjani, she is excellent. The tension is outstanding. The way each scene is built up is intense and I found myself sometimes darting my eyes across my projector because I was eager to follow the action. The intensity reminds me a lot of a David Lynch film, specifically the ending. The ending is very comparable to the last 40 minutes of Mulholland Drive, being that it is open-ended and you can analyze it in different ways. Again, the ending is my favorite part of this film. That's why if you're expecting this film to be an easy watch - it definitely isn't. The ending challenges you to think. This film is a lot to digest for sure. I noticed a certain shot that Andrzej Zulawski chose to use three times, but in different circumstances. The shot I'm speaking of is one where a character is sitting down or kneeling and is touching another character's bare back for whichever reason in the situation. The framing is the exact same shot in every scene it is used in. If you have watched this film, you'll understand what I mean.I'm going to give my thoughts on the ending. If you have yet to see this film, stop reading now. The final few scenes (which are simply magnificent btw) are so important to keep track of in order to analyze and understand the ending. Mark's doppelgänger is brought upstairs by Anna, who presents him to Mark. The two are soon shot by police and the doppelgänger escapes after having a strange encounter with the woman. He goes to the apartment where Helen is with Bob. Bob keeps repeating not to open the door for him. She sees the doppelgänger, but doesn't acknowledge him. There are suddenly noises outside of mass destruction and the shot highlights her glowing eyes. My thoughts on this are - Helen is Anna's doppelgänger, just as this man is Mark's. The two of them are just green-eyed versions of our main characters. I think the glowing eyes are supposed to show that she is causing this destruction and this possession is now causing possibly the end of the world. It is revealing that it didn't die with Mark and Anna. Wonderfully executed ending. I was on the edge of my seat constantly. I can't understand why this film is banned from being played in my region. It's blocked on nearly everything I tried to view it on until I finally found something. Yes, it's disturbing and incredibly violent, but I don't find it any more disturbing than The Exorcist.

Nigel P The marriage between Mark (Sam Neill) and his French wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani) is crumbling. Anna is having an open affair with Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), blaming Mark's elongated time spent away for his work (an undisclosed spying mission he is trying to walk away from). Their unfortunate child, and the most stable character, is Bob (Michael Hogben), caught between the increasing madness and paranoia of his drifting parents. It's apparent that the child's presence keeps Mark and Anna more grounded than would otherwise be the case, for when he is out playing, or at school, increasingly violent hysteria ensues.Through a private investigator, Mark discovers his wife has a second apartment in the rundown side of town. When the investigator discovers a slimy, living organism in the apartment, Anna glasses him. Events spiral further into rich absurdity and madness and with that, 'Possession' lurches confidently into uncategorisable territory. It is also the most enjoyable and refreshing horror film I have seen in a long time.Conversations are replaced with intense dramatic exchanges involving characters forever at the end of their tether, frenzied even from the outset. The direction comprises of shots that give the actors space to do their thing, and what intense performances are unleashed! Often shot in cool blue colours, this was filmed entirely on location in cinematically drizzly Berlin.Director Andrzej Żuławski wrote this whilst going through a divorce, which might well have contributed to the fraught emotions exhibited by the characters.Each time we see the organism, it increasingly exhibits human shape until ultimately, it assumes Mark's appearance (as well as the sexual attentions of Anna). In a bid to outdo even its own outlandishness, I feel the ending is ultimately slightly disappointing – however it cannot be easy to bring a satisfying closure to such an outlandish and shocking series of events.Meeting with disappointing sales on its release, 'Possession' was banned by the usual feint UK hearts as a 'video nasty' yet has assumed cult status. It also won Isabelle Adjani multiple awards for best actress for her astonishing performance. As it is, every performance is astonishing, from Bennent's passionate portrayal of the flamboyant Heinrich, to juvenile's Hogben's commendable playing of Bob.