I think I’ve seen it all now. Never in a million years did I anticipate it was possible to make a movie about demon possession and have it completely devoid of the utterance of the name of Jesus Christ or the symbolism of the cross. “The Possession” has accomplished both these tasks in the space of one film.
To say this Jewish take on “The Exorcist” is unique would be both true and false at the same time. It’s more of the same in the fact that it tramples the frequently treaded grounds explored by “The Last Exorcism,” “The Devil Inside,” “The Rite,” and countless others over the years. Where it’s unique is in the fact that it explores the concept from the viewpoint of the Jewish faith instead of the usual Judeo-Christian one.
In case you’re not in the religious know, most Jews don’t believe Jesus is the Son of God. Therefore, there’s no name of Jesus or sign of the cross they can use to battle demonic forces. Although I don’t share their beliefs, it’s fascinating to explore the idea of possession and exorcism from a different angle.
Clyde Brenek (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) takes his daughters to an estate sale on their way home one afternoon. The youngest one, Em (Natasha Calis), is captivated by an antique wooden box with bizarre writing on it. Clyde buys it for her and they take it home. Em becomes obsessed with the box, going as far as to sleep with it and take it to school with her.
Clyde and ex-wife Stephanie (Kyra Sedgwick) become more and more concerned as Em’s behavior becomes unpredictable and violent. Clyde takes the box to be examined and finds out that it is a container for an evil spirit known as a Dibbuk. Once the box is opened, it slowly and completely consumes the human it has bonded with. The two parents must get past their disbelief and find someone within the Jewish religious community who will step out in faith and help them.
Director Ole Bornedal (“Nightwatch”) is no stranger to the art of creating a suspenseful atmosphere in his films. “The Possession” also shows that he knows how to take what many would consider tired subject matter and breathe new life into it. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that the movie doesn’t have any flaws, but for the most part it’s genuinely creepy and provides some frightening visuals.
The audio and video for “The Possession” look and sound wonderful in high-definition. While the film is not particularly vibrant when it comes to color, it does accomplish what it needs to through the use of bleak and dark tones. The 5.1 surround sound guarantees that you’ll be engulfed by every little demonic whisper and startling crash thrown at you by the movie.
Bonus material for “The Possession” Blu-ray release features two separate commentary tracks by Director Ole Bornedal and Writers Juliet Snowden and Stiles White. A 13-minute featurette entitled “The Real History of the Dibbuk Box” is almost more disturbing than the film itself. It examines the supposed true story of a Dibbuk box and the people it touched. A theatrical trailer is included as well.
I would recommend “The Possession” to those horror fans tired of the same old boring take on territory “The Exorcist” explored in 1973. Although my own beliefs are Christian, I found the Jewish take on the concept of possession to be fascinating to examine. There might be many “déjà vu” moments, but it’s light years better than other exorcism movies we’ve been bombarded with recently. I’m looking at you, “The Last Exorcism” and “The Devil Inside!”
The Possession” is available now on Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet and DVD.
For more articles by Eric Shirey, check out:
‘Real Exorcist’ Bob Larson Talks Other Successful Exorcism Movies
“Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes” DVD Movie Review
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Event Review
