Possessed (1999)

best movie i've ever seen.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Denmark isn't a country normally recognised for its contributions to the horror genre, but with this top-notch effort they really have done themselves proud. POSSESSED is a startling and unique combination of science fiction thrills and spills (the investigation of the deadly virus) and good, old-fashioned horror (the religious aspects of the disease and the impending countdown to worldwide destruction), all neatly mixed up with pre-millennial tension and a firm footing in realism to give the movie a gripping edge. Taking a break from the weary CGI antics of modern Hollywood horrors, instead this low budget tale transports us into a bleak world of death and decay, shot darkly with plenty of shadowy atmospherics and icy chills. The film as a whole uses a murky grey colour palette to give it a 'dead' look and feel which comes across admirably; as a modern exercise in post-SEVEN downbeat atmosphere and gloomy sets this is untouchable stuff.Leading the way is matter-of-fact hero Søren, a guy propelled onwards through the obsession of his case regardless of the effect it may have on his career and girlfriend. Søren is played by Ole Lemmeke, who does superbly in the part and has every element of his character nailed down correctly. Later in the story, Kirsti Eline Torhaug - playing Sarah, the girlfriend - is also given a chance to shine with some memorable histrionics, whilst a surprise plot twist throws her character into the limelight and gives her a real chance to shine. The only familiar face in the cast is Udo Kier, who puts in a small but pivotal turn as a ruthless priest fighting the forces of darkness - Kier is magnificent in the part, which gives him far greater depth and acting scope than his recent cameo appearances in Hollywood fare have allowed.The slow-burning nature of the plot may be off putting to some, but unusually this is a film which gets better as it goes along. The last half an hour and in particular the finale are wonderfully gripping and horrific, turning the whole scientific basis of the plot around on its head and introducing some very dark, important elements. The payoff for the slightly dry and wordy first half of the film is well worth it and the film ends on a real high. POSSESSED is a great movie which easily beats modern Hollywood rivals on the same theme (BLESS THE CHILD, etc.), which sadly will never achieve the status it deserves due to it being foreign and sometimes subtitled. My recommendation is to track it down and give it a try - you won't be disappointed.

This is another horror movie in the Danish tradition, as I like to put it: Good cast, good plot and in my opinion quite an original twist to the classic possessed-by-the-devil plot. Also a hint of drama, with well-written dialogue and interesting inter-character relations and intrigues.If it runs on TV, see it by all means! Some chilly moments, that's for sure.7 out of 10.

'Possessed' is a very strong Danish thriller with atmosphere and suspense galore. It begins like a medical thriller in the vein of 'The Andromeda Strain' with a mysterious death which could have been caused by a new and potentially devastating virus. A young and ambitious virologist (Ole Lemmeke) investigates the death which leads back to a similar one in Romania, with a bizarre case of arson involved. Meanwhile, police pursue a mysterious German "priest" (the legendary Udo Kier) who is a suspect in said arson. When the paths of these two men collide we find that things are not as the appear to be, and the film turns into an Apocalyptic horror movie. 'Possessed' is an entertaining and fairly original race against time story. While certain elements are familiar from previous genre movies it manages to add enough interesting twists to keep you involved and guessing. The acting by the largely Danish cast is excellent, and the icing on the cake is yet another strong performance from the wonderful Udo Kier. Kier's long and varied career has included many highlights - from 1970s cult classics 'Flesh For Frankenstein' and 'Blood For Dracula', 'The Story Of O' and Argento's 'Suspiria', to frequent collaborations with Lars von Trier, and appearances in everything from the sublime ('Shadow Of The Vampire') to the ridiculous ('Barb Wire', 'Johnny Mnemonic'). Kier is always compelling no matter what the standard of the material he is involved in. 'Possessed' is no exception, and in this case, the standards are very high. Watch it and enjoy.

With a plot that seems to have been heavily inspired by productions such as Warlock (1989), Outbreak (1995) and "Riget" (1994), this movie uses the Danish medical community as exemplified by the National Hospital to build an instant atmosphere of impending doom.Unlike "Riget", which featured a plot that ended up in a Twin Peaks-like parody of surrealism, the focus in this movie is not on the medical community itself, but on the investigation by a young doctor of the mystical spread of a strange new virus.In parallel with this activity we have the police pursuing a man suspected of arson (impressingly performed by Udo Kier).The two threads end up colliding in a way that will not be revealed here.The movie contains some interesting scenes from Romania, where the young doctor tries to collect a marrow sample to analyse the virus. These scenes are quite important in building the atmosphere so important for a thriller, and they are executed nicely.Basically, all horror movies reiterate the same old message of "how terrible it is, when you're powerless." The interesting new part is usually the way in which ingredients are mixed, conveying a story full of scares, to which the contemporary viewer can relate."Besat" is no exception from this rule: As a true child of it's time, the dominant themes used in this movie are the threat of a global epidemic, cultic prophecies of apocalypse, the horrible living conditions of the poor in Eastern Europe, and how a man's single-minded pursuit of his career can turn him into a monster.All in all some good, well-executed entertainment, but don't expect to find anything new here.