The Take
Possession earns a Slop Score of 64. It delivers a single auteur voice but builds everything around graphic adultery and demonic sex as the moral thesis.
The 1981 Żuławski film collapses marriage into spectacle without redemption or consequence. Practical effects earn respect, yet the framing celebrates moral inversion as liberation.
The Verdict
Skip it. The film signals status for people chasing transgressive cinema cred but delivers corrosive romance and nihilism without payoff.
Slop Score 64.
Common Questions
What is Possession about?
No. It follows a collapsing marriage descending into possession and body horror in 1981 Berlin.
Why is Possession controversial?
Yes. Its graphic sex, violence, and marital breakdown made it infamous on release.
Is Possession based on a true story?
No. The plot is fictional, drawn from Żuławski's personal turmoil and horror elements.
