FrightFest may be over but the reviews are still coming. Next up is Pierre Tsigaridis’ Traumatika which will now make its way to Manchester’s Grimmfest
Pierre Tsigaridis returns with his follow-up to the fantastic, dark and criminally underrated, Two Witches.
Traumatika opens with one of the best demonic possession horror sequences in recent years. A young boy, frightened for his life is hiding from a woman who is possessed by an ancient evil. A blistered and torn woman prowls the dilapidated floors of the house like a rabid animal, urinating as she moves closer to the young child. The visual mix of pov and third-person camera work grabs you and throws you right in there from the get-go.
Okay, this opening rocked! This may sound a little bit twisted but having the possessed just casually urinate all over the floor without even noticing added a new layer of uneasiness. I honestly believed that the opening of Traumatika was executed that well, it was better than the entirety of Evil Dead Rise
It ain’t pretty. It’s grim, violent, triggering and deals with childhood abuse in a very unsettling yet, handled with care kind of way. But, even with all the darkness there are moments of uncomfortable, yet satisfying humour.
The film centres around an ancient evil artefact, a small statue that when opened unleashes hell, murder and misery on those that find themselves caught within the grasps on its ancient, possessive evil curse.
In a way, Traumatika plays out to me like Talk to Me or When Evil Lurks. What Traumatika does great is take an overdone sub-genre and add a little twist, just enough to make it stand out from the rest: the demons in Traumatika are your abusers and this makes the viewing experience more tense and terrifying.
Imagine being abused for years (sexually/physically/emotionally). You then wake one night to find yourself in the depths of abuse once again with your abuser taking demonic form. This is then spread like an infection or a highly contagious demonic plague that has the potential to spread far beyond of the walls its contained in.
Another absolute genre belter from Pierre Tsigaridis making him one of the most exciting new names in the horror genre! I can’t wait for more from him and the Traumatika team
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