Trauma Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Ketakutannya tiada penghujung ... (The terror will not end ... )
Awaking from a coma to discover his wife has been killed in a car accident, Ben's (Colin Firth) world may as well have come to an end. A few weeks later, Ben's out of hospital and, attempting to start a new life, he moves home and is befriended by a beautiful young neighbour Charlotte (Mena Suvari). His life may be turning around but all is not what it seems and, haunted by visions of his dead wife, Ben starts to lose his grip on reality...
| Colin Firth | Ben |
| Naomie Harris | Elisa |
| Dorothy Duffy | Nurse |
| Cornelius Booth | Orderly |
| Dermot Murnaghan | Newscaster 1 |
| Jamie Owen | Newscaster 2 |
| Kirsty Young | Newscaster 3 |
| Nina Hossain | Reporter |
| Justin Edwards | Doctor |
| Nicola Cunningham | Reception Nurse |
| Paul Rattigan | Manor's Voice |
| Sean Harris | Roland |
| Kenneth Cranham | Detective Constable Jackson |
| Alison David | Lauren Parris |
| Marc Evans |
4.60 out of 10 (1634 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Good Firth but in a Different Way
posted on 31 Aug 2009Well, I have to say that this type of movie is not necessarily what I usually like in a "restful, relaxing entertainment value." My reason for watching this was to continue my study of Colin Firth's film career since I saw him in A&E's production of "Pride and Prejudice" recently.However . . . although I have found most of the other movies Firth have played in to be either vulgar, filthy, slapstick or just plain dull for so charming a man and talented an actor (with the exception of "What a Girl Wants"), I can see that in "Trauma" he was shining through as the fantastic, brilliant actor that he is.This type of movie and part that he played can be one of the most challenging for any actor. The actor, Firth, has to believe everything that is going on around him and happening to him for the viewer to find it believable.The character he plays, Ben, starts out in the viewers mind as a sympathetic yet clearly disturbed young man. You are wondering what he is living on and yet how he can afford visiting a psychotherapist so often. You are actually suffering with him in the beginning and furious with his wife's family for their cold behavior.Little by little, the movie tears away the shell until you are getting a more clear view of what is going on and who and what Ben really is. You are wondering what his obsession is with the death of the singer, and how he could be involved. You are also finding out more and more than Ben had been stalking and terrorizing his "dead" wife.When finally his ex-wife unexpectedly makes a return entrance, the viewers are left to wonder at their senses and reasoning. We, the viewers, have experienced every heart break and internal punishment from Ben's mind including some really disturbing dreams. We cannot believe that this woman really is still alive and doubt our own sanity as Ben does.It is not so surprising that when the beautiful next door neighbor Charlotte, played by Mena Suvari, makes a return visit, our character Ben has completely flipped his lid – disbelieving in his own sanity and her very existence. He becomes psychotic about proving to himself and destroying what, in his mind, is telling him that does not really exist – a beautiful woman who seems to truly care about his torment.Our last final hope for Ben dies with his actions against Charlotte, and then with the concluding psychotherapist visit, the viewer realizes he/she has been duped through the entire movie in believing in Ben when there IS no psychotherapist.This was a truly amazing feat for a movie and for an actor, and that really surprised me, considering that I got the secret behind "Sixth Sense" in the previews of that movie before it came out.A couple of points to mention is that I did not understand what happened to his ant farm he was so fascinated by, and frankly, if Charlotte was supposed to be involved with psychics, why didn't she sense that there was danger in Ben at that moment before following him downstairs to nibble on a spider.The "F" word again was unnecessary for emphasis in areas, and the grimy scenes of abandon London buildings and streets, added to the overall depressed feeling from the film. Overall, this can be considered one of Firth's best portrayals, even if not the lovable character we would like to see him in.
A life of pain expressed in beauty.
posted on 31 Aug 2009I knew not of this movie's existence until catching a viewing on the fantastic Independent Film Channel late one night. I was drawn into the story with wonderful acting by all that participated. The movie has a few twists & turns, but is easily followed. I felt empathy for the main character's apparent situation. Mena Suvari's performance was beautiful, & though I have watched her good performances in other films, this role could have been performed no better. She was perfect! I am now a Colin Firth fan as well. He too, was brilliant in his role. Unfortunately, this film is a little known treasure. Thank goodness for the Independent Film Channel for providing viewers an opportunity to see films that are not main stream commercial giants, but just as good, if not better. This movie did not rely on state of the art special effects. This film was driven by a good story, & great performances.
Definitely Abstract and Disturbing...
posted on 31 Aug 2009Well, first off, I ***STRONGLY*** disagree with MWhittaker's high-minded dismissive view of this film (Sorry Mate... : ) GEEZ, it's like if films are not WILDLY original in the extreme or with 'Vivacious Ingenuity' (as stated) so many seem to be just OH so bored and jaded that they dismiss it...Reference was made to 'JACOB'S LADDER'. Okay, so how many people have payed homage to or incorporated such a successfully disorienting mood with such a powerful psychological force even remotely similar to that great film...? Like, NOBODY... Okay, 'SESSION 9', one of my ALL TIME favorites along this line of psychological horror does a GREAT job and probably next to the more abstract nature of 'JACOB'S LADDER' is one of the very best of it's kind. Well, this one was not quite THAT good, but it didn't fall too terribly far short of it.Being an EXTREMELY devoted fan of David Lynch I would have to say that the director of this film captured at least some of the essence of the abstract and psychologically disorienting feeling of say Lynch's 'MUHOLLAND DRIVE', but without all the delightful and idiosyncratic trappings of course : ) So, let's give the guy credit for creating a VERY visually and mentally unsettling film that does it's job well. Not a masterpiece, true..., but FAR, FAR, friggin' ***FAR*** better than all these 'Cheap British Horror' films that our dear Mr. / Ms. Whittaker is alluding to. And you think '28 DAYS' is Artsy...??? I think that that is a strong indicator of your point of view and taste there; not to be disparaging in any way at all, but I personally found that film, although very good, NOT ***NEARLY*** as 'Artsy' as this film in any way, shape, or form. That was 'Technique' or 'Style' my British friend, NOT really 'ART' in any way near the artistic approach that this director used in this film, in my lowly opinion.Now, I have NOT seen 'MY LITTLE EYE', so perhaps in comparison this one may be disappointing, but please let's give credit for what this film is by itself. I ask you, how many films can even come CLOSE to pulling off the mood, suspense, etcetera that the visuals and such strongly contribute to? MOST films that even bl00dy TRY usually fall flat on their little cinematic faces.And, YES, I ***LOVE*** AMICUS, HAMMER, GIALLO, and some Grindhouse films too... However, this is COMPLETELY apples & oranges my friend. Since when have you seen a HAMMER film with this level of psychological complexity...??? I think honestly what it boils down to is a matter of preference; this film simply didn't 'Do It' for you, that's all. Perhaps you tire of all the weird visuals and gimmicks as you see them such as using the video monitors. Okay, fair enough... But, to all you lovers of PSYCHOLOGICAL Horror / Thrillers out there, let me tell you, I have rarely sat here watching a film with such a sense of unease and psychological disorientation as this one for a LONG, LONG time... Now, as I mentioned before, 'SESSION 9' is one of my TOTALLY favorite films along this line; but, while watching that one I had more of a sense of 'DAMN! This is friggin' awesome!' whereas with this film I had more of a sense of deeper unease because of the disorienting force of the story making me feel like 'What the HELL is gonna happen next!!???...' So, in conclusion (if you all haven't hanged yourselves already...) I would say that if you are NOT a jaded snob (cough...) and want a really good psychological thriller that will DEFIINITELY keep you on the edge, and you're not looking just for an 'OBVIOUS' film, AND if you like 'JACOB'S LADDER' or 'SESSION 9' at all (athough this one is not quite as good) then you'll enjoy this film...
what the hell?
posted on 31 Aug 2009I watched this all the way through, though I cant pretend I liked it. The overwhelming impression of this movie was confusion. I had zero idea of what the hell was going on. All the effects of a shocker movie were there, the insects,the momentary glimpses of things undetermined, to raise the tension, the creepy caretaker, the muted colouring, the mutilated corpse, flashbacks, the almost abandoned building which was an ex hospital with, handily, a morgue in the basement ! etc etc. For me a movie must have entertainment value, there was none here, the story was nasty all the way through. Acting ? Colin Firth, Mena Suvari... first class as you would expect when you manage to acquire actors of their standing you want to put them in a better vehicle than this movie.
Obsession and paranoia!
posted on 31 Aug 2009Trauma is psychotic thriller that grabs you in suspense and mystery until the end. It's about paranoia, obsession and loneliness, and its result is a complex mix of thoughts, images, illusions, sounds, nightmares and negation of reality!The plot is a bit complex to follow, because it has some twists, but it all begins with a guy in a Hospital awaken from a coma. All he knows, all he can remember, is that he had a car crash, his wife died in the accident and he was the one who was driving when the car crashed. So he feels angry with himself and guilty about his wife's death. But did really things happen as he thinks they did? At the same time the TV news are constantly relating the death of a star singer who was brutally murdered a few days ago. Is there any connection between these two deaths? Step by step we start discovering that this guy is just a bit paranoid and that something is not alright!Trauma is intense; it has mystery, suspense, action, complex plot, it has all ingredients to be a great thriller flick. It has also a good acting (not superb, but good enough, especially from the leading actor, Colin Firth, which plays the main character: Ben), and some good visual effects too. We can watch them especially in the nightmares/paranoia scenes.But I must say the end disappointed me a little bit, because by the rhythm the movie was going I was expecting a much more intense ending. Even so, it was a great thriller flick, one that makes you think, and one in which things are not as they seem they are at the first sight!
Interesting, but muddled
posted on 31 Aug 2009Ben wakes up from a week long coma resulting from a car wreck. He is then told that the crash took his wife and he falls he falls into a slump and becomes somewhat of a loner. Things get weird when Ben starts to have hallucinations and is suspected of a murder of a pop star - what's real? What's not?The film has an interesting premise in which a man's troubled mind starts to torment him and there are some decent scenes of hallucination and terror, but overall the film is very muddled. First of it is very very slow, almost to the point where it becomes uncomfortable. Second, there is no atmosphere that pervades the film, instead just individual creepy scenes that overall add up to much less than desired.The flip side to that is that the film doesn't overplay anything and the revelations of the truth seem to feel more human rather than shocking or mind-blowing. That might result in some viewers disappointment, but it is interesting to see a more down-to-earth psychological ending. Just too bad that it's muddled throughout. 5/10Rated R, inexplicably, for some startling scenes and restrained profanity
Amnesia strikes again..
posted on 31 Aug 2009It sometimes gives masterpieces:of course "spellbound " comes to mind.But "Spellbound " was made at a time when screenplays were elaborate and there was no place for vagueness."Trauma" turns on the ambiguousness: nightmares,hallucinations, shrink consultation,medium,investigation,TV news,it's hard to find your way through this muddled plot.It borrows sometimes from "Jacob's ladder" ( the nightmare (?) in the hospital)but its conclusion,unlike Adrian Lyne's work, does not make much sense.A man (Colin Firth,28 in the movie,actually 44 when the movie was made)has lost his wife in a road accident and he was at the wheel.At the same time ,a female pop star is murdered.The widower suffers from amnesia and when he tries to find back his past, it will be nothing that he expected of course...As for Colin Firth,why don't you watch "another country" or "apartment zero" instead?
Dark, dingy, dreary, and confusing
posted on 31 Aug 2009There are many fine films out there where the sanity of the main character was brought into question (SECRET WINDOW, Johnny Depp, for one), leaving the audience to wonder what was real and what wasn't. All that I wondered as I watched this film is when it would end.While Colin Firth gave a fine performance, the story was muddled and confusing. I didn't care who was dead, who was alive, or who killed whom. I watched until the end, hoping I would receive some kind of payoff, as the film would just HAVE to redeem itself by penetrating through the miasma of confusion enough to give the viewer something, but I found nothing. This was a huge disappointment in every way.
It's a good change for open minded Firth fans.
posted on 31 Aug 2009I'd have to say that to fully appreciate this movie one has to be both, fan of psychological suspense thrillers and fan of Colin Firth. I happen to be more on the latter side, that's why I chose to rent it rather than buy it. This movie certainly showed Colin Firth's acting ability and proved once and for all that he is a versatile actor who can play any role and be convincing in it. However, one might have to watch this film twice (or very closely) in order to understand it completely. But even then it might leave a person with a few questions and provoke a few debates, which I think any decent movie should be able to do, especially a psychological thriller.
The Process of Madness
posted on 31 Aug 2009While recovering from a car crash and a coma, the weird artist Ben (Colin Firth) is informed that his wife Elisa (Naomie Harris) died in the accident. He tries to rebuild his life working with an old friend in the restoration of a building, changing his address with his ant farm and having sessions with his former psychologist. Meanwhile, the police is investigating the murder of the model Lauren Parris (Alison David), who worked with his wife. His gorgeous neighbor and super of the building, Charlotte (Mena Suvari), feels attracted for him, but the deranged Ben starts seeing his dead wife and is investigated by Detective Constable Jackson (Ken Cranham) as a suspect of murdering Lauren Parris.I saw the trailer of "Trauma" and I decided to see this movie, expecting a great thriller. Unfortunately, the direction and screenplay do not work well, wasting a good idea and making a film very confused and even boring in some moments about the process of madness. The identity of Ben's shrink is absolutely predictable. The beauty of Mena Suvari is very impressive. In the end, the trailer of this flick is better and better than the movie itself. My vote is four.Title (Brazil): "Trauma"
What a piece of crap!
posted on 31 Aug 2009I'm so sick of "filmmakers" being more concerned with art direction than a cohesive story. I wasted 2 hours trying to figure out the significance of plot points only to find...ha ha—there is none! Nothing is connected. None of the carefully identified nuances mean anything. And when it's over, the viewer has no idea what they just saw without listening to the director explain what we were seeing. Now THAT'S a sign of expert film-making! Here's a novel idea...how about A.) trying a bit less to make film look like an MTVvideo, B.) actually writing an ORIGINAL story that makes sense (this is "Stay" plus "Identity*" plus "The Jacket" equals MESS), C.) aping someone like--oh, ALFRED HITCHCOCK who never had to describe what we were watching because his films made narrative sense!*Apologies to "Identity", a really fine movie that shouldn't be mentioned in the same paragraph as this trash...
A great Gothic thriller that will not age.
posted on 31 Aug 2009A terrific film I think this will take you back to times when movies were about plots and acting rather than special effects and car chases. If you like psychological off-beat thrillers then this is for you. I was completely absorbed, the screen play - masterful, photography superb Gothic and sinister really building mood. Tie that together with a great screen play and masterful direction and you cannot fail to entertain.Taking influence from Polanski (repulsion ) a dash of Hitch (Vertigo) and touch Clouzot ( Diaboliques ), this movie explores the troubled psyche of Ben (Colin Firth ). Mr Firth plays the part cleverly, never inserting his ego or over acting, he maintains plausibility and holds your interest. Is he, as the Plots synopsis suggests, 'losing his grip'? Firth skillfully manages to always keep you guessing, is he really ill ?, just sad ?, guilt ridden ? Or is he the victim of some vast mind game ?. Richard Smith's screen play is fast paced enough to allow Ben to interact with people, be in his own private torment and drift between conflicting impressions of who he is. The locations eerie and sinister, yet at the same time utterly normal. Couple that, with skillful interesting camera work and truly Gothic London scenes you never feel cheated.The film flows without losing pace and you begin to feel the doubt creeping in regarding your own sanity. In a similar way, but much lower key, to Christopher Nolan's Momento the plot twists and turns as we search with Ben for answers to his past. His pre-crash life. Small snippets are fed to us via his dreams and flashbacks. We eventually arrive in a reality that only Ben can describe. The supporting parts are well casted, Charlotte ( Mena Suvari), DC Jackson ( Kenneth Cranham ) are excellent in bringing the plot forward in a low-key believable way. I cannot describe the rest of the cast without adding spoilers. Surfice to say they are crafted and add plausibility and reality to Ben's Issues ...The bottom line Marc Evans has shown that UK film making is not dead, that genre movies can still be made to entertain. He has made a movie that sits in your head and lets you consider your own reactions to those emotions we would rather lock away. The loss of a loved one, the fear of loneliness and our own fragile grip on reality as we age. A great Gothic thriller that will not age.
Gets you thinking!
posted on 31 Aug 2009Firstly i think Colin Firth has done a fantastic job in convincing the audience that he is deeply disturbed, i also think people (media) are being especially hard on him as it is not his typical role of the sensitive-romantic-charming-Englishman and this role has become a bit of a shock. Definitely prefer him in P and P and Bridget Jones but this has really shown that he can lead a variety of roles.The film was slightly confusing at some points but i agree that thats a plus point rather than a negative. This is very much a film where the audience makes their own judgement on whats happened and has fulfilled its design as has is definitely a film which you would discuss amongst other viewers and voice each others opinions. In this way puts the 'psychological' into psychological thriller. Worth watching a few times too.Also its not too scary, not a big fan of jumpy horrors, although not keen on the ants being everywhere.Lots of dramatic Irony, could be a huge hit as a novel.
We are pretty certain a man was in a horrific car accident and suffered a severe head injury.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Really great creepy cinematography, music, and staging all waiting for a plot. The story line twisted and turned and at each point of expected climax, there was nothing. I'm not sure what happened other than, he was a nut and it is more likely than not that he killed a nut. Did he make up his past and adopt Charlotte's Web? And what do spiders have to do with ant obsessions? And why did his apartment look like all the other places he went to? And why were there cameras everywhere, on the streets, in the stairwells? And maybe that cop was a figment of his imagination? Maybe the whole movie was in his imagination! We know the psychiatrist was in his head, but the watch gave that away in the beginning. But best of all, there is no hospital on the planet that would let you walk around barefooted! Maybe he is still in his coma.
Did I Miss Something?
posted on 31 Aug 2009Well, I watched Trauma last night and will be storing it away with the Rubik's cube. Have to wonder how the writer managed to get this to screen. Talk about a half baked plot. I enjoy a film that leaves you thinking, but come on! You could drive a herd of pigs through the holes in this story. It came in kit form, put it together yourself and hope the parts fit. Clearly they didn't for me. It started with the fairly well worn premise of a man recovering from an RTA that killed his wife. And went down hill from there. Good part for Colin Firth though. He acted his socks off. But why does he always look as if he's just seen something nasty in the barn?
Not a favorite Colin Firth Movie
posted on 31 Aug 2009I love to see Colin in movies that show off how good his acting is, and how good looking he is and that make me feel good. I never could figure out what was going on in this movie. Also being of an older generation, I don't understand why the wife was black and not white. I don't really think my generation will understand what all the fuss about putting races together is all about, it just is a great turn off to me. I will of course still watch all the Colin Firth movies I can and no matter what mood I am in at days end, I always feel good after watching a good romantic movie. Keep up the good work. Just another grandmother heard from.
Slow paced, boring film that should have been better
posted on 31 Aug 20094 stars out of 10 and that's being generous.This film was only one and a half hours long and yet much of it is filled with boring, repetitive type scenes that go nowhere.It is quite slow-paced and I almost quit watching it two or three times, but kept hanging in there hoping something more would happen and that it would come to some kind of interesting conclusion. I watched it via satellite dish.It's also a buggy kind of film - unnecessary close-ups of bugs being chopped up and many, many scenes of ants. What the ants symbolize is never explained.Colin Firth, yet another actor like many these days, who apparently went on a three week camping trip and lost his razor, plays Ben, a rather confused man in this film. Ben is in a hospital and has been in a coma, following a car accident which killed his wife, or did it? After his release from the hospital, he becomes acquainted with a beautiful young woman named Charlotte, at his apartment building--which was once a hospital.Why what happens eventually between him and Charlotte happens - I have no idea. I never understood his motives for anything he did - regarding his wife, Charlotte, or Lauren Parris--an entertainer.Did he kill Lauren Parris? Did being accused of killing Lauren Parris lead to him committing heinous acts that he would not have otherwise committed? Don't expect much in the way of answers - few are supplied in this non-conclusive, draggy, unpleasant film.
Poor, stupid and ugly...
posted on 31 Aug 2009"Trauma" is a hopelessly dull and pretentious thriller by Marc Evans, director of the equally annoying new-age horror film "My Little Eye". You know the drill; this is the type of thriller that jumps from one incomprehensible sequence into another and the cast faces' remain serious and straight at all times, even though they don't understand what's going on neither! Colin Firth plays the psychologically messed up survivor of a car crash that supposedly killed his wife Elisa. Supposedly, because Been keeps on spotting her and stalks his former sister-in-law. Moreover, a famous singer has been murdered and Ben is the police's prime suspect and, on top of all this, he has a bizarre passion for crawling ants and his attractive young landlady takes him to supernatural gatherings. No wonder the guy goes out of his mind! I presumed that all these different story lines would eventually come together (and maybe they did, who knows) but the truth is that you can't possibly care about it. The screenplay of "Trauma" is stuffed with semi-elaborated ideas and pointless red herrings, and at the end of the movie you still don't know a lot, expect that you shouldn't have bothered to see this nonsense. Evans desperately uses all the old tricks to create an ominous tension and horrific atmosphere: extended close-ups of the ant farm, vague flashbacks, accelerated camera-work and depressed characters that never ever smile! There's nothing even remotely interesting or original about this film, on the contrary, the story rips off nearly a dozen other thrillers. The filming locations are uninspired (an abandoned hospital? Please...) and truly ugly to look at, too. Young actress Mena Suvari deserve a brief mentioning, though, as her acting skills have seemly improved since "American Pie" and "The Rage: Carrie 2".
pointless waste of time
posted on 31 Aug 2009there's really no way to get around it: this movie just plain sucks, and provides further proof that the brits just can't make thrillers worth a damn. the tired and silly dialogue with the shrink was so clichéd, i didn't know whether to laugh or cry. and speaking of nonsensical clichés, the plot in this movie goes around in so many gratuitous circles, i almost got dizzy. we're left having to deal with a series of real and imaginary episodes which add so little insight into the main character, that they almost appear to be frivolous afterthoughts with nothing whatsoever in common. having said that, i must admit colin firth did an admirable job with the crap he was given to work with. otherwise, this movie's one of the most pointless yawners to come out of Britain in a while. never have i been happier to see end credits roll in all my life.
Not at all bad, if not necessarily quite brilliant
posted on 31 Aug 2009Trauma is a rather curious film which promises a great deal, seems to deliver, but which, on reflection, doesn't really deliver at all. In a nutshell, Colin Firth is the husband who had a crash in which his wife apparently dies, and who can't come to terms with her death. The backdrop to this personal tragedy is the mystery of the murder of a pop star who was beaten up, stabbed and Lord knows what else, and whose body is found in a canal in East London. There is, at first, no apparent link between that murder and the apparent death of Colin Firth's wife, but slowly links seem to be made, and by and by it is suggested that it seems our Colin might well have done the deed. Apparently. And the words 'apparent' and 'apparently' are rather apt here, because nothing is quite as it seems. Colin, lucky chap, is adopted by pert Charlotte, played by Mena Suvari, who is the landlord's daughter and who tells Colin that she is keeping an eye on the place, a former hospital which is - again apparently - being converted into East London yuppie apartments. (Incidentally, no other tenants are ever seen and nor is there any evidence that building work is ongoing. The old hospital resembles both an abandoned building site and a skip.) And the impression is also given that Charlotte merely the figment of grief-stricken Colin's imagination. And so on. It is, in fact, rather futile to embellish on that resume, because much of it is irrelevant. Why, for example, the emphasis on Colin's near-obsession with ants? Well, the simple answer is that such an inexplicable obsession plays rather well in a horror film. Why the suggestion that much of what is happening is all in Colin's imagination? And how to explain Charlotte's apparent - that word again - naivety? Anyone over the age of 16 who has spent more than a week in any city will know that such trust as she demonstrates is lethal - and naturally she ends up dead. Then there's the slightly spooky janitor who had previously worked in the hospital before conversion work started and who has a thing about the hospital morgue in the basement. What is his role? Well, it is simply to be the film's slightly spooky janitor, because such characters are never out of place in a horror film. There is, however, far, far less to him than meets the eye. The odd thing is that while writing this I'm feeling ever so slightly guilty, rather like the guilt you feel after admitting that the ugly sister you're rather fond of is really no looker. You see, although from the off Trauma is rather baffling, it has the knack of drawing you in, you go with it, you are intrigued as to where it will all end. And that means Trauma has already achieved a lot, lot more than any number of oh-so-formulaic Hollywood schlock on far bigger budgets - you know the kind of thing: I Saw You Scream Last Summer VI. In fact, despite my carping, Trauma can more than hold its own. Its difficulty is, I think, that it sets itself higher standards, and although it achieves far more than the formula stuff, it doesn't quite get to where it wanted to. I am prepared to accept that it was filmed on a shoestring and on location, but that is no criticism. Clever cinematography makes a virtue of the fact that the only set the producers could come up with was the old hospital being converted into yuppie flats, and that cleverness with using limited resources also means that it looks a lot more expensive than I'm sure it actually cost. Elsewhere in reviews of this film you'll get the usual IMDb extremes from this being quite possibly the best horror film ever made to lamentations that the viewer spent more than a milli-second of rubbish such as this. One reviewer even goes as far as to claim that Trauma is definitive proof that we Brits simply can't make horror films. But ignore both extremes, for despite its faults, its illogicalities, its short-changing in the facts department and a rather over-wrought denouement, Trauma is a lot better than many of its Yankee rivals. But it isn't quite as good as it might have been. You'll only be really disappointed if you go along hoping for the usual expensive, glossy dross which Hollywood can turn out by the mile. It is a lot better than that.