Criminal (2020) / Taemin • Possession (1981) / Żuławksi

“Destroy me more”

Possession is a very complex film that explores many themes through an often illogical and abstract lens. Some themes to think about are spirituality, morality, and sexual freedom.

Criminal’s lyrics: a subject being led by temptation to commit immoral/illegal acts, yet the subject is enthralled by their captor/possessor. From the NGDA mood samplers and innocent / suspect binary there are hints of an evil doppelgänger theme or a possession theme.

This is a major component of Anna’s journey in Possession, as she seemingly becomes “possessed” by/attached to an entity which drives her into madness, influences her to murder, and pushes her away from her “normal” “healthy” relationship with her husband Mark.

This entity is framed as her lover, and there is even the infamous sex scene, so the creature/possessor can also be seen as a metaphor for Anna’s longing for sexual freedom (constrained by her controlling husband).

In the same way, according to the lyrics, the subject in Criminal is “brainwashed” yet sees the criminal as “elegant” and “magnificent.”

Additionally, Anna mentions two “sisters” Faith and Chance—perhaps we can relate these to Innocent and Suspect—who are fighting for control inside of her.

She “miscarries” Faith in the infamous subway scene. Perhaps Taemin will have to “miscarry” the Innocent or Suspect and give in to one temptation or the other