Trauma (2017) Review

I'm a huge fan of any kind of art that pushes any boundary it can. Extreme horror is a place where these boundaries are constantly pushed, albeit to differing degrees. The majority often cite A Serbian Film as an anger inducing piece of cinematic trash made simply to push the buttons of those who would not expect to see what that film contains. It seems to escape the public that these films aren't made to be enjoyed. Endured, yes, but there is no enjoyment in watching such atrocities being perpetrated on others in cinematic nightmares. Yet some of us seek out these films, wanting to be shocked, repulsed, offended or to experience any other feeling these films can stir up in their viewers. 

 

Trauma is another entry into the annals of extreme cinema, but I feel this one hit much harder than anything I have seen before. The film does not go anywhere near as far as A Serbian Film does in its extremity, but Trauma hits so much harder in so many different ways.

The film centres on four women who enter a town populated by creepy men who attempt to intimidate the women. From there things continually get worse as the atrocities increase time and time again. At the start, I felt so sorry for the child who is subjected to such trauma, and even though this child becomes an absolute monster, It was harrowing seeing what he was subjected to, and I continued to have sympathy for him, at least until the women began being raped and tortured.

Maybe I felt this sympathy because the man we see perpetrate the rape, torture and murder of the female characters begins the film by having traumatic experiences of his own (incest and infant molestation, which the latter thankfully takes place off camera). His indoctrination into committing such traumatic experiences as a child certainly creates a monster in the boy. One that is let loose to great extremes throughout the movie. Yet it also shows how this man has been shown these things, and their mixture of abuse, poverty and mental illness has created him in the same mould as his abusers were made. This isn't to say that this man is to be sympathised with, but it certainly gives greater depth to his character and the lengths he goes to. 

While nothing in Trauma feels sexually explicit, the attack and rape scenes are filmed with such honesty, the camera fixed on what is happening to the victims of these men. Its as disturbing as it is unflinching. These scenes are incredibly harrowing, and I have to admit that I may have considered not watching any more until I felt more at ease with what I was seeing. Of course I talked myself out of that, but the thought was there.

Trauma doesn't show the victims as weak or pathetic in any way. They are simply overcome by brutality, torture and trauma of the events that happen. By the end of the movie, the ones who survive certainly give back what they've experienced, and it suited the tone of the film perfectly.

Trauma is as hard hitting as an extreme horror movie can be. But the depths it reaches in its depravity, its brutal honesty and trauma inducing exploits is simply like nothing I have ever seen before. Trauma went to some very dark places indeed, and it certainly didn't stop there. This film will shock, disgust and make you feel sad, uncomfortable and repulsed in the extreme. I cannot give a greater recommendation than that. 

Darkest Regards...

Dani.

Life, times of difficulty and overcoming all that stuff.

Welcome once more to Doctor Carnage's World of Horror. Let me begin by saying its great to be back.The past twelve years (has it really been that long) has been long, arduous and frankly sometimes soul destroying.

I;m going to do something a little different with this post and move away from horror to talk about what has happened these past twelve years. In 2012, my wife (whom I was no longer living with) took away our children, without telling me where they were going. Thankfully my children's school said they could tell me where the children's records were sent. It was also at this time that I began fighting through court ton have contact with my kids.

I represented myself in court, and had to fight for seven years with very little contact with them, Seven years of wading through lie after lie, different social workers, things being made increasingly difficult by my ex. By 2019, I truly felt ready to give up the fight, as I felt I could not go on, 

I received a phone call in 2019 explaining that a meeting was to be held to discuss what was happening with the children. I attended, and it was such a difficult time listening to what was said. In the end, I assumed I would finally be having contact with the kids once more.

The day after the meeting, I received a phone call asking me why I didn't want to take the children to live with me. I was blindsided, but I knew I had to do this, or they would have been put into the care system. So a few days after, they came to live with me.

I was so happy that I could finally see my kids once more, and since that day, they have both grown into amazingly kind, thoughtful and happy kids who i couldn't be more proud of.

I also began a nbew relationship in 2017 with a lady from the US, and I fell hard for her (I'd seen her pattern of being in a relationship for a year and then moving on to someone else, but never ever even considered it would happen to me. 

I attended my first horror con in the US with this ladys family, and we even had a hand fastening ceremony at said convention (and an absolutely vile encounter with Linda Blair). A year or so later, she asked for a relationship break. I was not comfortable with this due to past experience, but I didn't want to doubt her commitment.

Yet a year later, I found out that she had been seeing someone else, sending pictures of herself topless to other men. 

That nearly broke me, and if it wasn't for my kids coming back into my life, I don't know what would have happened.

So at the beginning of 2019, I assumed I was having a massive panic attack, and attended the hospital for Diazepam. Yet this feeling of panic, dizziness and nausea persisted. The next day is a blur. I remember vomiting so much. So much so that I remember vomiting blood. I was rushed to hospital, and it was discovered that I had Sepsis, which in turn had triggered Diabetic Ketoacidosis. So not only did I have an infection, my body had started consuming itself from the inside. 

If I had been taken into hospital ten minutes later, I would not be here to write this. Thankfully I made a full recover. Family and friends helped me through these times so much. I healed both from the relationship and from the near death experience, finally visited a doctor about my lifelong problems with anxiety and got medicated. It was trial and error at first, but I'm happy to say I am anxiety free. It is so different not worrying about the smallest thing, about being able to relax and live instead of always being in my head, worrying about the past, present and future.

So that leads me to today. My son suggested I start writing about movies and music again. So here I am once more.

After all the trials and darkness of the last nine years, I am now in a place I am truly happy, thriving and growing. I've lost weight (6 stone so far) and while my health is still a huge issue, it doesn't drag me down as often as it did.

I just wanted to share a slight overview of what's been happening in my life and why I've been away from this blog for so long. Normal service will now be resumed.

My first review in an awfully long time will be posted tomorrow, and it will be for a little movie called Trauma, directed by Lucio A. Rojas. Often cited as A Serbian Film contender where extremity is concerned, I'm looking forward to sharing my thoughts.

To you all out there, I hope you continue to enjoy the dark places these films and music takes us on. Welcome back to Doctor Carnage's World of Horror. Light a candle, open the door and try not to fear the nightmares within. 

Darkest Regards,

                           Dani,