The Possession 2012

Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: Nothing earthshaking, but a pretty scary night out... Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: Even if you resist the film's claims of being based on one family's actual experiences, "The Possession" is eerily enjoyable pulp. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: The Possession offers a steady stream of chuckles and a few big laughs. Unfortunately, it isn't a comedy ... Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: "The Possession" isn't exactly "The Exorcist," but Ole Bornedal's film hits enough high notes to make it a worthwhile addition to the exorcism-film heap, somewhere in the lower middle. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: "The Possession" is morally lazy. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: Director Ole Bornedal doesn't add a single idea of his own. Read more

Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly: There may be need for an exorcist, but the power of Christ isn't going to compel the Jewish demon wreaking havoc in this competent but shopworn horror film. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Film.com: The first half of The Possession is suitably atmospheric and reasonably creepy. Read more

Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter: This Jewish-themed horror film demonstrates that the Anti-Defamation League is never around when you need them. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: A better-than-most fright-time tale ... Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: Another horror movie about a little girl possessed by a demon? Seriously? Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Slick direction and a strong central turn from Jeffrey Dean Morgan will keep you watching, if rarely from the edge of your seat. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: The script, credited to Juliet Snowden and Stiles White, adheres so closely to formula that it's possible to predict not only which characters will end up dead, but in what order ... Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: Danish director Ole Bornedal has made some fine films in his career. The Possession isn't one of them. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: "The Exorcist" has influenced a lot of films, and this is one of the better ones. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: This is a lugubrious, lovingly crafted B movie, with more than a little 1970s flavor but no arch postmodern attitude. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: The evil spirit in "The Possession" should be embarrassed to call itself a demon. Read more

Adam Nayman, Globe and Mail: The film is basically a compendium of possessed-child cliches reaching back to The Exorcist. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: The obvious bid for an unwarranted sequel at the end of The Possession suggest that Raimi, once hailed for his vision, is now content to just milk his cows and count his cash. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Rather than embellish imaginatively, screenwriter Leslie Gornstein seems to have re-watched The Exorcist, Poltergeist and The Unborn for inspiration. Read more

Geoff Berkshire, Variety: Keep a close eye on what your children buy at yard sales, suggests The Possession, a ho-hum exorcism chiller that tries to spice up a formulaic screenplay by converting a predominantly Catholic-fixated horror subgenre to Judaism. Read more

Nick Schager, Village Voice: Delivers second-rate horror cliches unbefitting the imprimatur of producer Sam Raimi. Read more

Mark Jenkins, Washington Post: Anyone who actually believes in dybbuks and other ghoulies will find "The Possession" terrifying. For the rest of us, the movie is a cleverly constructed, well-paced piece of hokum. Read more