My Little Eye director Evans opts for a more subtle brand of terror in this British-set psychological thriller. Ben (Colin Firth) awakes from a coma to find his wife Elisa (Naomie Harris) dead and the world obsessing over a murdered pop star. Angry that his grief is being sidelined, he becomes preoccupied with the murder and ends up a suspect, unbeknownst to his neighbour, Charlotte (Mena Suvari).
Doubts creep into Bens mind about his grasp on reality. Is his wife really dead? Is Charlotte a figment of his imagination? These questions are compelling in theory, but fail to grip the viewer as they should. Moments of tension arent exploited fully and plot threads are left hanging.
Trauma boasts strong ideas, cinematography and performances (even from a dubiously-cast Firth), but a shaky story structure makes it a modest work.