Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kyra Sedgwick, Natasha Calis, Madison Davenport, Grant Show, Quinn Lord
Director: Ole Bornedal
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: January 15, 2013
Run Time: 103 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
When I here the name Sam Raimi is behind this horror film, I both get excited and nervous at the same time. He has made great films like “Drag Me To Hell” and “The Evil Dead” but when working with PG-13 horror it always makes me nervous. “The Possession” has a decent cast including Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”) and Kyra Sedgwick (TV’s “The Closer”) but plays it a little too safe for me personally. There is a few good jumps and overall the average film-goer might dig this but hardcore horror fans might see right through this and just see many missed opportunities.
Official Premise: Clyde (Morgan) and Stephanie Brenek (Sedgwick) see little cause for alarm when their youngest daughter Em (Calis) becomes oddly obsessed with an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. But as Em’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic, the couple fears the presence of a malevolent force in their midst, only to discover that the box was built to contain a Dibbuk, a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.
The releases comes with Blu-ray Disc plus a Digital Copy and Ultraviolet option. I am not a fan of Vudu only Ultraviolet though, as I prefer Flixster. The 1080p transfer on the Blu-ray looks good and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track works well for a few jumps. The special features on the film are pretty scant with one featurette focusing on the true story behind “The Possession” in “The Real History of the Dibbuk Box”. It is worth checking out to find out about the true events, even if you do not dig the film itself. There are also two audio commentaries with director Ole Bornedal and the writers Juliet Snowden and Stiles White.