Wounds (2026) by Ron Krauss

Director: Ron Krauss

Year: 2026

Country: USA

Alternate Titles: N/A

Genre: Psychological

Plot:

Working on a low-budget horror movie, the lead special effects artist is continuously tasked with creating new and gruesome effects for his demanding director and struggles to find the right inspiration until he stumbles upon a murder, finding a new way to take his art where he needs it.

Review:

For the most part, there's a lot to like here. Among the better factors with this one is the incredibly solid starting point that manages to look into his inner psyche to make his spiraling condition all the more intriguing. Focusing on the shoot and what he's being tasked with doing, the crazy demands from his boss for his work, and the professional relationship he has with everyone else on set at the very beginning means this can provide the kind of setup that makes everything later on feel earned when he comes to his senses. The need to increase the skillset he uses for the film and how quickly it needs to happen is a solid touch to give him inspiration to get going, and with the series of attempts at making it all better for his career to prosper using the inspiration from normal murders he witnesses to help bring everything to life, making such a mark on his work that it all forces more inspiration to keep going at the level he needs.

That leads nicely into the rest of this one, with the second half of the film delving into the need for him to carry out the professional means of sculpting the material necessary. The series of dreams and hallucinations he witnesses, not just regarding the proper deaths of individuals but also the imagined sequences when it starts to become obvious that the realistic effects are starting to take a toll on him, make for a series of exciting ideas and visual tricks that come together quite nicely, especially with the idea of what he’s being asked to do the longer the shoot goes on. These scenes are all incredibly fun as well, balancing the more intense and serious moments when he’s trying not to let the whole thing get to him but is clearly falling victim to his violent impulses. While none of this is all that new or unique, and it manages to bring about some rather problematic parts trying to make everything make sense, it’s pretty much the main thing holding this down.

Overview: ****/5

A really effective and likable genre effort, this one manages to come together incredibly well for what it is while not being let down by any kind of genuinely troubling flaws or drawbacks. Those with an interest in this style or approach, or who aren’t bothered by those kinds of issues, will have a lot to like here, while most others out there might want to heed caution.