Possum (2018) - Chased by the puppet

[bradleyshaw]

Good to see Sid's Toy doing so well after the Toy Story films!!

[premiummemium]

I like how he runs with his hands close together, as though he’s cuffed by invisible shackles. Definitely not accidental. Great detail by the director.

[Stevieboy]

This film is one of the darkest and most unsettling things I've seen in a long time. When you finally realise what the puppet represents at the end it's very disturbing. Sean Harris is incredible in the role of Philip, he's such a superb actor.

[Mazeppa]

When you realise what is actually going on here, what that puppet represents and what that character went through physically it becomes so much more than a mere horror film. Profoundly unsettling material presented by master story tellers.

[TheFoxFromSplashMountain]

Genuinely one of the scariest monster designs in all of horror. The uncanny valley is a powerful tool.

[Scarlettsouls]

The way he cowers and runs is like a scared child, I definitely think it’s symbolic to him being stuck in that traumatic child’s mind

[brandontadday]

Dont know why but the 'Possum' design gives me strong Junji Ito vibes.

[wie_po]

the sound design is amazingly haunting, i love it.

[JackMellor]

Someone needs to recommend this film to Chris Stuckmann, I think this film is right up his alley, he lives for this psychological horror stuff.

[cowbearrie]

the way the music is fast when hes running then when he checks around the corner and doesnt see anything it slows down, fuck little details like that are so awesome. such an amazing movie

[stasadavies]

this is the best film i have watched in a very long time so unique haunting beautiful
and just art
a true masterpiece
Sean is amazing in it his acting touches your soul so much emotion

[Jane-xd]

I remember when I first watched this I vaguely wondered about the way the puppet embraced him at the end of this clip. Then the final confrontration came and that detail hit me like a fucking truck

[Devastate]

I was really sick a few months ago and had to go to the Hospital...and almost every day I would get these really intense fever dreams like nightmares that are so inlined with the atmosphere of this film it sends shivers down my spine.

[RathwulvenBushcraft]

This film is a masterpiece - the references and/or symbols are so incredibly multi-faceted. So many seem to miss the full extend of what is really represented here. Spoiler alert - trying to do a quick analysis below:

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Philip is introduced as a rather ambiguous character in the beginning, simply for the sake of creating the assumption that he might somehow be involved in the disappearance of the boy on the train. But one must understand that from the very beginning of the movie, what we see is not simply "real" happenings, but rather metaphors or concepts. Just pay proper attention: Philip ends up being in places "morphing": The house changes, the train station and military barracks too. These places are not just "geographical".
You are set up to believe that Philip encounters the missing boy in the train, but if you pay attention the the first appearance of "Possum", you already get a clue that the missing boy "knows" the "monster" called "Possum". That is the first clue that "old" Philip is the boy!

Uncle Maurice is not just some dude hiding another abducted kid from Philip - what is really represented is Maurice twisting and turning Philip's perception, manipulating him psychologically just the same way he abused Philip physically. As an abuser, Maurice puts it all on Philip - even the sense of being "guilty" for what happened to him. So all the scenes in which Philip is labeled "pedo" by the two teenagers or chased by the police are also just representations of Philip believing that, for whatever reason, he is the problem. None of these happenings do of course occur in "real" life.

The film gives it all away in the end: Philip is liberating the boy (that is: himself) from his abuser. His younger representation runs from the very house he has been imprisoned in - which is where his parents died and his abuse took place. "Possum" on the other hand is a mix of different representations - the spider legs mimic the fingers of Maurice, the black balloons and smoke refer to the death of the parents and if you pay close attention, Possum's facial features do resemble Philip in some way. So all in all, Philip's traumatic experiences, the literal loss of his emotions (or "face"), the abusing hands and many other things are what make Possum.

There are many more details to notice and discuss, but in essence this is what it boils down to. What we see is not just a sequence of happenings and some shallow ending like Philip literally killing his abuser and liberating some random boy so he will not get convicted. The makers did an extraordinary job when it comes to representing the myriad horrible complexes in regards to child abuse.

[yvonneinreallife]

I think the fact he runs with his arms so close to his body is a great detail. It looks like how kids run.

[itsaalphaone]

This prob one if the creepiest horror monsters I’ve seen. It gives me the heebee jeebee’s 1:55

[Loliolmaowateva]

i really wanted to watch this but this is enough scary for me thank you

[thymvrtyr]

this is that one spider that comes back into your house after you let it outside

[uranuss_]

this is literally my cat when I didn't feed him or accidentally hit him

[thevillagerguy]

I bet this literally scares those who have arachnophobia