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Excellent but underrated film

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

A mentally-disturbed anorectic sixteen-year-old runaway girl, Aura Petrescu, witnesses the brutal murder of her father and her psychic mother. The killer chases after her fearing she may have seen his face. Meanwhile the doctor who took care of her wants to have custody over her and return her to the hospital. One day while trying to commit suicide she's helped by David, an illustrator, who helps her discover the killer while keeping her free from the hospital.Dario Argento is a filmmaker who refuses to change and that's creatively dangerous. Since his first movie, the magnificent The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, he's been playing variations on the same formula: amateur sleuth tries to solve string of brutal killing after accidentally getting involved in the case. In Trauma the formula is becoming exhausted. A serial killer is on the loose decapitating his victims. A psychic during a séance channels the spirit of one of the victims. Before accusing the killer, however, the psychic is killed. If this sounds familiars to Argento fans it's because it's one of the plot points of Deep Red. There is suspense here but the director is hardly exploring new situations. Even his concern with anorexia is superficial at best. This is Argento resting on his laurels.Although Trauma lacks the inventive camera work of Deep Red or the lush colour palette of Inferno, it's by no means a bland movie without its sparkles of genius. Some things are in the movie just because, I guess, Argento thought they looked fun, like the shots of lizards. Argento uses animals in almost every movie and he tends to use them excellently, either as important plot points (Opera and Phenomena) or for their savage symbolism. The movie is also riddled with dark humour. One f my favourite scenes is when the killer follows Aura into the hospital and murders a nurse in the presence of a mental patient who watches in terror and then waves the killer goodbye. The gore is restrained, but fans of severed heads will be satisfied with their realism. It's a pity Argento cares more about props than acting or dialogue.The cast is exceptionally good. It has Piper Laurie, a very threatening Frederic Forrest, and even a brief appearance by Brad Dourif. Argento's daughter, Asia, and Christopher Rydell play the protagonists and give sadly the weakest performances. The problem is that the dialogue just isn't very good or natural. For consummate actors like Laurie and Dourif, who can turn cheese into gold, that's not a problem, but Rydell and Argento fail to rise above their material. I'll give the director credit, however, for playing the relationship between Aura and David very emotionally. Friendship and caring seldom exist in Argento's world, the protagonists being too busy solving crimes for that. Here he actually tries to explore the feelings each one has for the other and that makes Trauma one of his most touching movies.This was Argento's first production in the United States and it's tempting to lay the blame on those awful producers who just don't understand geniuses. But that's too easy. There's every indication that he had a tight control over the movie and perhaps that was the problem. If there had been a producer reigning in Argento, I doubt so much of the poor characterisation, ridiculous dialogue, not to mention silly ideas like talking severed heads, would have made it to the screen. Hollywood may be soul crushing for artists, but at least the average producer seems to care about things like logic and continuity. Sadly Argento doesn't. Argento's decay was a slow process that started after Deep Red, his last great movie in my opinion, the one where he synthesised his dream-like vision of the world with inventive cinematography, a vivid colour scheme and a cerebral mystery. Since then he's had many ups and downs. Trauma belongs at the bottom of his filmography and I recommend it only for Argento enthusiasts.

OK, I hated Tenebrae, I thought it was junk. I absolutely loved Trauma. If you are looking for top-notch acting, nope not here. If you are looking for cheap Giallo / Thriller w/ a decent amount of splatter, YES ! The movie has the right amount of story and tension that kept me watching. It built up the pace just right and delivered schlocky campy Euro-inspired horror / thriller action right up to the end.Asia was awesome and her flawed acting was perfect because it fit the campy nature of the genre. Perfect acting in that it all was flawed just right to fit by everyone. Sit back watch it and have a pizza, some vino and enjoy w/ a loved one on a dark stormy night. The ending was perfect for the film. Trash cinema at it's best.

A maniac called the Headhunter collects severed heads and keeps them in hat boxes. A former drug addict (Christopher Rydell) and his anorexic girlfriend (Asia Argento) discover the truth.The film stars the erection-inducing Asia Argento as Aura Petrescu, who is something of a crutch for Dario. His casting of his daughter is often a mistake, and I think he feels that Asia's abilities are beyond what the rest of us know them to be. Her lead position in "Mother of Tears", for example, was a key factor in its less-than-stellar reception.Dario's bias is evident -- he freely admits he wanted Asia as the lead even as he wrote the story. He is "very attached", "very close", though some suggest his love goes a bit too far with his habit of photographing her topless. Regardless of all this, the important question is, was Asia right for this particular part? Actually, yes. She has the look, she has the talent, and her accent is explained by making her a Romanian orphan.Tom Savini on makeup effects is a welcome addition -- two masters working together, as it should be. Jim Harper says Savini's work here is "unusually poor" and James Gracey says it is Savini's "most shoddy and unconvincing work", but that is a tough claim to back up, given how little gore the film actually has.Brad Dourif appears as Dr. Lloyd in a surprisingly small role for such a great actor and genre icon. Chris Rydell's role was offered to James Spader, Tim Roth and John Cusack. Any of the three would have brought the film more attention and acclaim, but Rydell excels in this role. While I do not know him or his work well, this should be seen as one of his best performances.Argento says the film is "bound to surprise people" and that it is "a step forward" in his career. That is for each viewer to decide, but it definitely falls into the category of the "latter Argento" with the much slicker picture and sound. The film itself was the first Argento edited with George Lucas' Editdroit editing machine.Mike Mayo says this is "perhaps Argento's most accessible film for American audiences", due in part to the coherent script and the Minnesota shooting locations. (I admit, as a Wisconsinite, this intrigues me, as does the product placement of our delicious Leinenkugel's beer. Knowing that "Mallrats" was filmed in Minnesota, I made a point to visit the filming location for the film's ten year anniversary.) Jim Harper says that the film is not the peak of Argento's work, but still better than most serial killer films of its time.What do I think? While it is not my favorite of the "new" Argento, and it can hardly be compared to the "old" Argento, this film is well worth watching. I did not have the problems with the lack of gore others have complained about, and found the overall story welcoming. It may have run about 10 minutes too long, but this is its only obvious flaw. A must for Argento fans.

First and foremost, if you plan to watch this movie because you see Tom Savini's name under special effects, prepare to be underwhelmed to the point of coma-inducement. As we might expect of Fearless Leader, he had great plans for the gore in this movie. He created the electric garrote, and there is no shortage of head removals for him to play with. Unfortunately, Dario Argento must have been high or half-asleep when he decided to hire Savini. Anyone familiar with Argento's previous work(and maybe Argento himself had briefly forgotten what were his trademarks) will know that while the films can have some intense bloody moments, they aren't filled with the supreme gorefests that Savini is know to deliver. Argento wanted a suspenseful film, not a bloodbath, so it is very surprising, probably most of all to Tom, that Savini was hired. There is almost no gore in this picture. You will see a very small amount of blood, the wire slightly beginning to cut into tender flesh, and a few rolling heads with lips moving, but this is kid's stuff. Any amateur FX team could pull that off(and have, sadly). I feel bad for Savini that he was so hamstrung on this project.Piper Laurie also appears in this movie, as Asia Argento's nutty mom. While she almost plays it to the hilt like her role in Carrie, and she is a bit of alright, she is hardly seen at all in the movie, which is a disappointment. Brad Dourif basically has a walk-on role, so his insane antics are also wasted. Asia Argento struggles to carry the lead role and the notion that her dad had her perform a scene topless is not artistic and beautiful(no thank you, Thora Birch) it's just disturbing.Now that I've sliced and diced on the film, let me give it a bit of praise. The pace of the film is pretty good, and there are several POV shots from the killer's perspective which I love, of course. Also, another of Argento's trademarks, the use of color, is subtle and masterful. If you don't know much about him, or film study in general for that matter, you probably won't catch it. But I was looking specifically for his control of color in the film. The killer only murders when there is a rainstorm, and as most people often associate water with blue, that color is quietly present in more scenes that I can count. More often than not, the blue color comes from lighting a scene as opposed to an item specifically colored blue. Also of note, there are a few strange scenes that remind me of some early morning forest. It will probably sound strange, but a few scenes take place indoors where walls are paneled with thick wood and plenty of plain wooden furniture adorns the rooms, while a dreamlike, dusty, foggy hue softens the entire shot and the characters, as if they are wondering in some strange forest. Very unusual. I never noticed it on previous viewings.Argento's last decent work to date. Recommended only for fans.