'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.
