Traumatika (2024) Film Review – Trauma is a Disease [Frightfest]

Posted on by Jayson Laniba

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There have been many horror films that tackle the theme of trauma in recent years, but this one really pushes things a bit further.

Traumatika is a 2024 horror film directed by Pierre Tsigaridis. It delves into the different forms of childhood trauma, from witnessing violence to physical and even sexual abuse. The film stars Rebekah Kennedy, Ranen Navat, Emily Goss, Susan Gayle Watts, and an appearance from AJ Bowen (You’re Next, The Guest).

Beginning in 1910 in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, with a bewildered man roaming around the desert, clutching a mysterious artifact that apparently drove him into killing his own son. The story then jumps to 2003 in Pasadena, California, with a young boy named Mikey (Ranen Navat) trapped inside their home with his seemingly possessed mother, Abigail (Rebekah Kennedy). Meanwhile, in the present time, an investigative show hosted by Jennifer Novak (Susan Gayle Watts) digs deeper into the 2003 Pasadena murders that continue to haunt many, including Abigail’s sister, Alice (Emily Goss).

It’s a menagerie of different horror subgenres thrown into one recipe, from psychological to body horror to even slasher. It may seem as if it’s got so many ideas that it tries to shove down the audience’s throats, and while not all of its elements work, the final result is pretty entertaining.

The film is told in a non-linear narrative, jumping back and forth between the past and the present. Penned by Pierre Tsigaridis and Maxime Rancon, the film honestly feels like two separate films stitched together to form a single narrative. The first half focuses on the events that happened in the 2003 murders, including the harrowing tale of the survival of young Mikey. The second half deals with the aftermath of the event twenty years later.

Admittedly, the film’s strongest part is its first half, which follows Mikey and his mother, Abigail. It’s an interesting look at possession and how it affects the people around you. Imagine a young kid being alone in a house with his possessed mom. It’s also the most effective part of the film, with Tsigaridis utilizing numerous first-person point-of-view shots, giving an immersive feel to the proceedings. It reminds me of Kyle Edward Ball’s lo-fi horror, Skinamarink, putting the audience in the shoes of the protagonist (also a kid). At times, this comes off as a bit too gimmicky, and it eventually becomes repetitive, but Tsigaridis handles it so well that it works, showing his understanding that what scares us the most is what we don’t see.

On the other hand, its second half loses much of its steam, with the film’s pacing slowing down a bit, eventually switching to slasher territory as it reaches its bloody finale.

Fortunately, this is compensated for by the brilliant performances of its cast. Particular praise goes to Rebekah Kennedy and Ranen Navat for playing Abigail and Mikey, respectively. Emily Goss also shines here with her compelling turn as Alice, and while his appearance is pretty short, AJ Bowen delivers a convincing performance as Sheriff Miller. Sean O’Bryan also impresses with his deliciously twisted turn as John Reed.

The film is also well packaged, with great visuals courtesy of Tsigaridis. It also boasts some nasty-looking prosthetic make-up and practical effects, particularly the VFX work on Abigail’s infected body, as the evil inside her manifests itself in her body psychically. But what really adds to the film’s haunting and eerie atmosphere is the chilling music by Gioacchino Marincola and the unsettling sound design by Igor Comes and Joe Kataldo.

Overall, despite its weaker second half and inconsistent pacing, this depraved tale of possession from Pierre Tsigaridis is admittedly a pretty effective supernatural chiller that is definitely not for the fainthearted. At a lean 87 minutes, it packs plenty of thrills, enough to make you jump and squirm.

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We watchedTraumatika at its World Premiere at the 25th Pigeon Shrine FrightFest Film Festival. 

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