• Release year: 2024
• Director: Pierre Tsigadiris.
• Producers: Pierre Tsigadiris.
• Screenplay by: Maxime Rancon and Pierre Tsigadiris.
• Cinematography by: Pierre Tsigadiris.
• Music by: Gioacchino Marincola.

Shotgun Commentary: the perfect movie for this Halloween if you are into possessions and being scared sh*tless.

Review

Any horror film looks better after receiving a free month of ShadowZ, the first horror-themed streaming platform in Spain. Say what you will about Spanish festivals, but they are extremely aware of their audience’s love for free stuff. And boy do they deliver. After getting a gift, you are more open to anything they screen, and if it starts with a very dramatic death scene protagonised by a man who looks remarkably similar to a controversial politician of your country, even better.

Let’s get real

Traumatika is an exploration of childhood trauma and the perpetuation of abuse. It’s also coated with a thick layer of average possession movie, proving that you can bring up very heavy and serious subjects without compromising the “sh*ts and giggles” factor.

The movie follows Abigail (Rebekah Kennedy) and Mikey (Ranen Navat). What you assume is a child haunted by his possessed mother turns out to be something more wicked and twisted. This is the first half of the film, a narration that is completed some years after Abigail’s possession, with her younger sister (played by Emily Goss) and Mikey as the main characters.

Much like you would expect from a horror film exploring childhood trauma and intergenerational abuse, the “big bad” barely has any screen time. While Maxime Rancon, also co-writer of the movie, delivers a terrifying performance as the demon Volpaazu (sort of like Pazuzu from The Simpsons with the looks of all the black demons from The Conjuring universe), his physical presence isn’t really necessary. The multiple hallucinations and other possessions in general do a great job showcasing trauma on their own. Are you possessed, or just an utter piece of crap of a human being? Is it a demon or a menti B? You decide how literally you want to take the story, really. You’ll be scared to death regardless…

All shades of grey… and nonsense

This play with the supernatural seeping into intergenerational abuse and the continuation of childhood trauma, inevitably leads to a game of blacks and whites in which the greys reign supreme. No character is fundamentally good, and no character is fundamentally bad. Not even Pazuz… Volpaazu, sorry. After all, one’s gotta eat, no?

The characters evolve and their personality is revealed layer by layer. They are so complex that will you change your mind about them around three thousand times before their role on screen is over. This speaks volumes of the care and time put into the character creation, a fundamental step to make a good movie that is regrettably overlooked quite often.

Fear not! As previously mentioned, talking about serious subjects isn’t necessarily contradictory with the traditional horror shenanigans. Stupid decisions, ridiculous conversations, absurd locations and epic phrases such as “I swear to God, don’t jump at me”, tie up this masterpiece. In fact, take this away, and you’ll probably have a very boring existential drama. Choosing horror for these subjects is probably the best decision made on this whole project. Closely followed by the aforementioned phrase that represents us all if we were in a horror movie, and all the casting choices.

The future of horror

Honestly, all the actors are pretty spot on in their roles. They deliver confident, sometimes bold, and always believable performances regardless of the ridiculousness of their character’s situation. However, Rebekah Kennedy manages to steal the thunder with her portrayal of Abigail. Both victim and demon, Abigail is a pretty challenging role to deliver. She is the one that can make or break the film. Luckily, Kennedy absolutely nails it. With some help from a really talented makeup department, she will manage to scare you, make you feel sorry for her, rage, and even laugh with her character.

All in all, Traumatika is a wonderful example of how horror can be used for a greater purpose than quenching your blood thirst or having a few laughs. It is thought-provoking and terrifying all at once, an admirable movie that successfully conveys a crucial message without the need for any self-congratulation.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Horror is a great conduit for social commentary, always has been, despite what “elevated horror” fans seem to think.
• A good movie is recognised without the need for patting one’s back throughout the footage.
• The most comedic, absurd situations can turn scary as hell when properly framed, silly dancing included.

What’s your take? Have you watched Traumatika? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀