The Possession
A young girl buys an antique box at a yard sale, unaware that inside the collectible lives a malicious ancient spirit. The girl's father teams with his ex-wife to find a way to end the curse upon their child.
Despite its limited budget of $14.0M, The Possession became a runaway success, earning $85.4M worldwide—a remarkable 510% return. The film's unique voice engaged audiences, demonstrating that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Possession (2012) exemplifies precise story structure, characteristic of Ole Bornedal's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 32 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Clyde and his daughters Em and Hannah move into a new house after his divorce from Stephanie. The family is fractured but trying to maintain normalcy.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when At a yard sale, Em discovers an antique wooden box with Hebrew inscriptions. Despite its ominous warnings and locked nature, she's drawn to it and Clyde buys it for her.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Em violently attacks a classmate at school, showing superhuman strength. Clyde can no longer deny something is seriously wrong and commits to finding out what's happening to his daughter., moving from reaction to action.
At 45 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat An MRI scan reveals a second face inside Em's throat - the dybbuk is literally inside her. The supernatural threat is confirmed as medically real, raising the stakes from skepticism to survival., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 68 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Em fully transforms into the dybbuk's vessel at Stephanie's house, attacking her family with murderous intent. The demon seems to have won completely, and Em appears lost forever., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 73 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The exorcism ritual unfolds with Tzadok chanting prayers while the dybbuk violently resists. Clyde must hold Em down despite her supernatural strength. The demon transfers to Tzadok, then Clyde traps it back in the box., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Possession's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping The Possession against these established plot points, we can identify how Ole Bornedal utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Possession within the horror genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Clyde and his daughters Em and Hannah move into a new house after his divorce from Stephanie. The family is fractured but trying to maintain normalcy.
Theme
Stephanie tells Clyde he needs to be more present and engaged with his daughters, foreshadowing the theme that family bonds require active commitment and sacrifice.
Worldbuilding
Establishing the broken family dynamic, Clyde's new house, his coaching responsibilities, and the weekend custody arrangement. The girls explore their new environment while dealing with their parents' separation.
Disruption
At a yard sale, Em discovers an antique wooden box with Hebrew inscriptions. Despite its ominous warnings and locked nature, she's drawn to it and Clyde buys it for her.
Resistance
Em opens the box and becomes increasingly obsessed with it. Strange occurrences begin: moths appear, Em's behavior changes, she becomes possessive and violent. Clyde dismisses the warning signs as adjustment issues.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Em violently attacks a classmate at school, showing superhuman strength. Clyde can no longer deny something is seriously wrong and commits to finding out what's happening to his daughter.
Mirror World
Clyde seeks help from Professor McMannis who translates the Hebrew inscriptions, revealing the box is a dybbuk box meant to trap a malicious spirit. This introduces the supernatural mirror to the family drama.
Premise
The possession escalates as Em's personality transforms completely. Clyde researches the dybbuk, discovers previous victims, and tries to convince Stephanie. The family experiences the full horror of the demonic possession.
Midpoint
An MRI scan reveals a second face inside Em's throat - the dybbuk is literally inside her. The supernatural threat is confirmed as medically real, raising the stakes from skepticism to survival.
Opposition
The dybbuk grows stronger, making Em more violent and dangerous. Clyde and Stephanie try to destroy the box but fail. The demon's power increases as it integrates with Em, and traditional solutions prove useless.
Collapse
Em fully transforms into the dybbuk's vessel at Stephanie's house, attacking her family with murderous intent. The demon seems to have won completely, and Em appears lost forever.
Crisis
Clyde desperately seeks help from the Hasidic community. He confronts his own failures as a father and husband, recognizing that saving Em requires total sacrifice and faith beyond his understanding.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The exorcism ritual unfolds with Tzadok chanting prayers while the dybbuk violently resists. Clyde must hold Em down despite her supernatural strength. The demon transfers to Tzadok, then Clyde traps it back in the box.