Rotten Tomatoes
Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Possession

Play trailer Poster for Possession R 1981 2h 4m Horror Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
87% Tomatometer 45 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him and their son. Mark is devastated, and seeks out Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), the man who cuckolded him, only to receive a beating. After a series of violent confrontations between Mark and Anna, Mark hires a private investigator to follow her. Anna descends into madness, and it's soon clear that she is hiding a much bigger secret -- one that is both inexplicable and shocking.

Where to Watch

Possession

Possession

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Blending genres as effectively as it subverts expectations, Possession uses powerful acting and disquieting imagery to grapple with complex themes.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Rachel Syme The New Yorker 10/21/2024
The film contains one of the great gross-out scenes of all time... Go to Full Review Peter Sobczynski RogerEbert.com 10/01/2021
4/4
[Possession] remains one of the most grueling, powerful, and overwhelmingly intense cinematic experiences that you are likely to have in your lifetime. Go to Full Review Ben Sachs Chicago Reader 01/23/2014
Adjani won the best actress prize at Cannes for her dual performance (as an unfaithful wife and her angelic doppelganger), but the whole cast is astonishing, exorcising painful feelings with an intensity that rivals that of the filmmaking. Go to Full Review Terrence O'Brien The Verge Feb 20
Possession is the sort of film that, even if you’ve had the whole plot spoiled for you, can be difficult to follow. Go to Full Review Nadine Whitney InSession Film Jan 29
A
Possession is more than a horror film, and more than a cult film – it is art under extreme pressure. Sam Neill’s performance is excellent, but no one will ever doubt that the film belongs to Adjani. Go to Full Review Rebecca Sayce FILMHOUNDS Magazine Jan 9
5/5
From start to finish, Żuławski blends dreamlike sequences with starkly bleak scenes of marital drama that remain as horrific today as they were 40 years ago. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
no 10/06/2024 wasn’t even the same movie lmfaooo See more unknown 02/03/2022 Movies wasn’t even that good, it was boring and most of the time just them fighting and getting naked See more Elvis D @Elvis-Del-Valle Mar 31 Possession es una buena película porque logra su objetivo de incomodar por donde se la vea. Es la clase de horror incómodo que se esperaría ver en una película fuera de lo ordinario. Desde luego no es muy recomendable para el público general porque puede llegar a disgustar. Solo es apta para aquellos capaces de comprender el arte del cine europeo o para los que quieren ver algo mucho más fuera de lo común. Mi calificación final para esta película es un 8/10. See more John F @RT84127024 Mar 23 Runtime was longer than it needed to be and it's over the top at times, but it's entertaining to say the least, with Adjani's performance alone worth the price of admission. See more John H. @Hihner Feb 11 I give honest reviews. Don’t waste your time. Trust me See more Dean S. @DeanDFW Dec 29 What a terrible waste of time! See more Read all reviews
Possession

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Andrzej Żuławski

Director

Isabelle Adjani

Anna

Sam Neill

Mark

Margit Carstensen

Margit Gluckmeister

Heinz Bennent

Heinrich

Johanna Hofer

Heinrich's mother

Related Movie News

View All
Jenna Ortega’s Five Favorite Horror Films Major Awards Need to Stop Ignoring Incredible Horror Performances
View All

Possession

Possession (1981) Possession (1981) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After Anna (Isabelle Adjani) reveals to her husband, Mark (Sam Neill), that she is having an affair, she leaves him and their son. Mark is devastated, and seeks out Heinrich (Heinz Bennent), the man who cuckolded him, only to receive a beating. After a series of violent confrontations between Mark and Anna, Mark hires a private investigator to follow her. Anna descends into madness, and it's soon clear that she is hiding a much bigger secret -- one that is both inexplicable and shocking.
Director
Andrzej Żuławski
Producer
Marie-Laure Reyre
Screenwriter
Frederic Tuten, Andrzej Żuławski
Production Co
Gaumont, Marianne Productions, Oliane Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
2h 4m
Most Popular at Home Now