It's rare today for a horror film to respect its audience as much as 'Possum' does. Horror films that ask their audience to concentrate, think and solve are becoming less and less popular. All people seem to want is the fast-food horror that 'The Conjuring' universe spews out 3-4 times a year. And that's fine if horror isn't the genre you go to when you're looking for a heavy and deep film, but I would suggest you are missing out on some rare treats like 'Possum'.

What's going to hurt this film with audiences the most is that it is admittedly very slow. A lot of the dialogue is cryptic and there is basically no action. Despite this though I found I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. It was almost hypnotising in a way. I was determined to work out exactly what the film was trying to tell me.

The film asks a lot of you. First of all to understand what it all means, and then to understand a twist through that same lens. I was fairly confident I had understood most of it, but I did read an explanation thread on the film afterwards just to be sure I had it right. Needless to say this film won't be for everyone, and some could even argue this isn't really a horror film, but if you feel like a challenge I'd recommend giving it a look.

'Possum (2018)' is a psychological thriller laden with symbolism and metaphor, both of which aren't fully fathomable until the credits have rolled. Once they have, however, the piece's previously enigmatic images and implications become much more impactful. In fact, they become downright disturbing. This is the true strength of the bizarre little tale: its retrospective horror. Of course, it has in-the-moment merit, too. This includes, but isn't limited to, a fantastic lead performance from Harris, a creepily ethereal score and some successful surrealist imagery. The spidery puppet that stalks the protagonist is rather alarming, especially when it decides to move. It's not so much a 'creature' as a reflection of both the lead's long-buried trauma and film's true meaning, which collate in a truly harrowing final scene. Obviously, the flick isn't perfect. It's pretty slow and, even, repetitive, especially as it moves into its second act. It also asks quite a lot of its audience, in the sense that it requires total engagement in order for its payoff to really stick. I can see why some haven't connected with it. However, its atmosphere and general intrigue are more than enough for me. When all is said and done, it forms a cohesive and actually quite (unconventionally) scary experience. It's not a nice film, but it's undeniably an affecting one. 7/10

POSSUM is one of those slight little arthouse movies that seems stretched out to breaking point and would have worked much better as a 30-minute short. Visually it has much in common with the kind of classic M. R. James ghost story, and the cinematography is excellent, full of creepy dilapidation, empty landscapes, haunted faces, the occasional scary bit. But there's virtually no story at all, just long lingering shots meant to portray mental isolation and eventually disintegration. Sean Harris is an effective performer but I can't help but feel it had little to work with here. In the end, it's a great-looking production that says very little, so the very definition of a mixed bag.