Mother, Father, what's afoot?
Only Possum, black as soot.
Mother, Father, where to tread?
Far from Possum, and his head.
Here's a bag, now what's inside?
Does he seek or does he hide?
Can you spy him, deep within?
Little Possum, black as sin.

Possum is heavy. This movie is serious, draining, painful, and above all–absolutely incredible.

I have a heavy preference in the horror/thriller genre for psychological horror. I don’t find monsters, aliens, ghosts, demons, or murderers all too frightening. (Though, as far as monsters go, those who know me know I have quite the passion for media about zombies. But that’s different.) You’ll probably find that most of my favorite horror picks are going to be “slow” or “weird” and they’re probably going to be mostly about things that are scary in the mind, rather than in the body. I love the concept of losing your grip on reality. I love horror that explores the mundane terror of death, rather than the extreme. I like when horror writers utilize more down-to-earth and realistic scares that come from attacks on the mind.

Possum, of course, falls into this category.

Bag is open, growing wider.
What's inside it, man or spider?
Little boy, don't lose your way.
Possum wants to come and play.
Look at Possum, there he lies.
Children meet his lifeless eyes.
See his nasty legs and tongue.
When he wakens, watch him run.

Possum masterfully crafts an extremely eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere throughout, and the attention to detail in each aspect of the film is not to be missed. Sean Harris, who plays the lead, Philip, delivers his performance impeccably, evoking the pain of the character in every single stiff movement, in every wrinkle of his frown, in every blink of his eye. Not only is Harris’s performance extremely moving, but it roots you right there in the moment with Philip, for better or for worse.

Philip’s relationship with his horrid puppet, the titular Possum, occupies a large amount of the film’s screen time. The uncanniness of the actual puppet itself often becomes downright terrifying the longer you look, believing it will come to life at any moment and destroy you.

Wait a while, my little child,
For what is playing dead.
Possum, with his black balloons,
Will eat you up in bed.
Happy valley, painted black,
All the children in a sack.
Wave goodbye to sun and moon.
Say hello to black balloon.

Additionally, there is so much more to the story than what actually happens on screen. On the surface level, we can see Philip interacting directly with the puppet, a physical object, and we can see the environment he lives in. Underneath what plays out on screen, the stellar writing conveys so much more, focusing on themes of childhood trauma and the decay it enacts on the human mind, as well as the cycle of abuse.

The parcel opened, out it sprang,
The black, long-legged Possum Man.
Children, run! He'll eat and smother,
Any child without a mother.

I honestly can’t praise Possum enough. It was frightening, it was devastating, and it was horrifying. As a piece of art, it was beautiful and extremely moving. I highly recommend to anyone interested in watching it to set aside some time alone, perhaps on a dreary, drizzly day, to absorb this film and allow it to make you feel everything it intends to.

Rating: 📀 I loved this movie.