When you’ve watched shock video, gore porn, and general murder, death and destruction on the internet, you finally get to a point where you swear to yourself: always look both ways as you cross the road. Even if all vehicles have stopped. Even if the pedestrian signal is green. Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere with nothing in sight. Sounds crazy, but after enough Liveleak videos, you’ll understand.
Dana Milgrom (Shauna Macdonald) didn’t get the memo. Surviving a deadly hit and run, they wake up to find themselves terribly injured and confined to a hospital bed, breathing apparatus, and a catheter. Her concussion is so severe that her speech is impaired. The unfortunate patient has no time for recovery though, as a malicious ghoul haunts her room, threatening to invade her sanity.
The beginning is legitimately shocking and unexpected. And it’s a shame, because the rest is disappointing, plain and poor, descending into the quality of soap TV with a mirage of crime drama. The flick is dull, unambitious and uninfluenced, with the content drying up so soon and so badly that it thwarts any honest attempt to be taken seriously.
The production is workable enough. The makeup is alright, and it may not be exactly scientifically precise. To be fair, her injury looks like a burn than a skull fracture, yet its display of pain and damage is a good choice. The soundtrack is mediocre and edited by an idiot. The acting is fine, standard and professional, with Macdonald doing a pretty decent job of their haplessly frail lead actor who strives to reach survivalism and persistence.
It’s not the delivery of the material that’s the problem however – it’s the confounding lack of it. For instance, there’s substance that could have been employed or invented with the decision of expanding the investigation into Milgrom’s hallucinations. Or creating a stronger plotline for the antagonist. Midway through the lead character is sitting there googling for ideas in the middle of the film.
Despite the drab initiation, and overall crappy performance, things begin to develop later. There’s a few points which grab interest, especially the cleaner’s end being a strong example. Perhaps more sinister is the insistence on CCTV as a narrative factor. Why is a secondary style of footage required? If the reason is to gain authority, why can’t that sense be achieved in the original visual conditions? And how do you jail a ghost? Simple! You tell them they’re in for life! (Fucking hell)
3/10
Possession Media 