WFG RATING: A 

Saban Films presents a production of The Rancon Company in association with Tw Films. Directed, lensed, and edited by Pierre Tsagiridis. Written and produced by Maxime Rancon. 

Stars Rebakah Kennedy, Ranen Navat, Emily Goss, AJ Bowen, Susan Gayle Watts, Sean O’Bryan, and Sean Whalen.  

This horror film involving demonic possession is, as the title indicates, traumatic, as we see a young boy who finds himself at the near mercy of his possessed mother.  

Mikey is a nine-year-old boy who lives in a decrepid home with his mother, Abigail. Abigail has been showing signs that she’s not who she claims she is. A while back, Abigail was subjected to abuse from her father, John. When John found a rare artifact, he plans to exploit it despite warnings from his friend Steve, who tells him the artifact is based on a demon named Volpaazu, who targets children especially. 

When John finds himself possessed by Volpaazu, he takes advantage by having Abigail possessed as well. However, Abigail soon discovers that she has been more than possessed and when she tries to deal with the situation, she finds herself confronted. She soon learns that Volpaazu was looking to have an heir.  This leads to a series of events that will change the course of Mikey and Abigail’s lives forever.  

This film is definitely set to please horror fans with its insane and disturbing content. The duo of director Pierre Tsagiridis and producer/co-writer Maxime Rancon look to have something in mind. That is to make a film that will be embedded in your head with some of its imagery. And they succeed. The film is very intriguing yet shocking as the narrative goes from opening to flashback to future to depict the events of how Volpaazu changes the lives of both Mikey and Abigail. 

Rebekah Kennedy is great as Abigail, who we see in her first scenes already possessed by Volpaazu as she searches for young Mikey, played by a breakout nine-year-old actor in Ranen Navat. Some of Mikey’s point of view scenes look like they were inspired by some of the great horror video games when it comes to looking around and then…surprise! The first scene of seeing Mikey’s POV and intercutting with quick shots of his face bring that Resident Evil video game vibe or even games like Until Dawn. Five Nights at Freddy’s, and The Quarry to name a few.  

Sean O’Bryan, who may be known to Disney fans as the teacher who falls for and married Anne Hathaway’s mom in The Princess Diaries films, goes a complete 180 as John, Abigail’s abusive father who is the one who unleashed Volpaazu when he plans to exploit the artifact after having an argument with his estranged wife.  

Sean Whalen’s Steve is perhaps the most wholesome character of the film as even Susan Gayle Watts’ Jennifer is nothing more than looking for a cash cow through her investigation show, which sets up the future element of the film. When Whalen appears on screen, he is the attempted conscience as he warns John about Volpaazu and upon learning of its consequences, just goes on the show to warn others about those consequences. 

Traumatika succeeds in giving a film experience that will please horror fans and as the titular indicates, brings trauma to the mind and eye for not only its character, but perhaps for the audience as well.  

The film will be released in select theaters on September 12.