In 2012, Brandon Cronenberg offered the world his feature film debut ANTIVIRAL. And now, the filmmaker returns with the transcendently stunning and fascinating new sci-fi thriller starring Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and it's frankly one of the best films of the year. POSSESSOR UNCUT is the story of an assassin with a set of extremely special skills, one that I'd hate to spoil too much of the plot because the less you know the better. It's a brutal, cerebral, thrilling, and thought-provoking tale, one that works on nearly every level. Brandon's shocking imagery and the fantastic performances from all the leads create a gorgeous and occasionally shocking feature film. While the violence isn't necessarily excessive, it's downright vicious and gruesome when it needs to be.
This past Tuesday, I sat down with Cronenberg, and both Riseborough and her co-star Abbott for a Zoom chat. For Brandon, he discussed what the inspiration for POSSESSOR was, and why it took a few years to finally complete. The director opened up about his approach to this story and the casting of his leads. As well, the subject of violence came up, and just how he approached the gruesome moments of bloodshed on display. As for his co-stars, I've been a fan of both Riseborough and Abbott's work for awhile. The two discussed not just playing opposite each other, but in many ways playing the same character. They also heaped high praise on the man behind the camera.
POSSESSOR UNCUT is a brilliant ride, but it's also not for the squeamish. The film is a symphony of science, violence, and mystery, and it's a must-see for any film true cinephile. Catch it soon, because this is a film worth seeking out the opening weekend on all your favorite streaming sites.