How ‘Resurrection’ Explores the Lingering Power of Trauma

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Rebecca Hall as “Margaret” in Andrew Semans’ RESURRECTION . Courtesy of IFC Films . An IFC Films release.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Resurrection’. This article also contains discussions regarding domestic abuse, and this motion picture features portrayals of child abuse, which may be triggering to some individuals.
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Something that each and every one of us hope for when we move out of our parent’s home and set out into the world, is to live a happy and fruitful life. One where we obtain everything we want and are able to handle any and every challenge that comes our way, and we honestly feel prepared to do so. Since our parents did their best to prepare us for a world that can be difficult at times and well… it doesn’t take long for us to learn that our parents and their lessons can only take us so far, and that the world will bombard us with unpleasant surprises. The kind where we will indeed struggle and suffer at times, and it will be up to us to pick up the pieces and do our best to get back on track and get what we want out of this life. 
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But even then, that’s no easy task. Because some of the challenges we face are powerful in nature. To the point where they create lasting damage and outright trauma to our psyche. Which can come from something as random and chaotic as a natural disaster or losing a loved one to death. Both of which can haunt our dreams and our daydreams for that matter as well, prompting us to ponder upon how we heal. But what we don’t talk about enough, largely because to do so would acknowledge a problem… is that a lot of our traumas come from trusted sources. For instance, ugly moments in our childhood can create it and of course, meeting the wrong people in adulthood can produce the same. Especially when we engage in a toxic or abusive relationship. One where our partner tears us down physically or emotionally or even mentally.

Which is so devastating and shocking, since we trust those persons completely at some point… that it rips our soul to shreds and leaves us a shell of our former self. Where the confidence we once boasted is gone and where we simply struggle to do things, we once found to be a breeze. For trauma is poison in nature and we are only now learning how to deal with it and its power and oddly enough, horror, the genre designed to terrify us, is trying to help us with that. As evidenced by an upcoming new film on Shudder entitled, Resurrection. Which is in brief, a story that revolves around a strong woman named Margaret who has a family and a great career and agency in everything she does. But the return of an old lover named David, who abused her badly back in the day, puts her into a downward spiral that she isn’t sure how to recover from.

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Tim Roth as “David” in Andrew Semans’ RESURRECTION. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release.

Which is… a shockingly realistic plot for a horror film. Because that kind of terror and panic and collapse is something that anyone that has suffered through severe abuse and trauma can and will experience. Simply because this motion picture makes it clear that trauma isn’t something that easily goes away overnight. It is something that embeds itself into the very fabric of one’s being, and it hides in the nooks and crannies of the psyche and the mind, waiting and ready to be brought to the surface. And it tends to never leave us, and it is hard to be rid of, largely because we treat it akin to the common cold. As something you just gotta tough out with a little chicken soup and maybe a hint of therapy or a feel-good movie and that is of course… not how we fight trauma in the slightest and not how we ever become free of it. 
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But since our society believes that mental health issues are easily solved and because there is a stigma that surrounds victims and survivors of domestic abuse… many never seek those solutions and never work to be free of it. Which in turn creates a lingering power for trauma, one that will bring forth all kinds of trouble when it takes hold again. As evidenced by who Margaret transforms into when that trauma returns to the surface. Since we see her confidence slide and see terror control her day and she even lashes out at those she loves because she cannot reconcile or understand her pain and clearly needs help. But like so many, she refuses it and pushes forward to handle it her way, which leads to a wild and devastating ending to this story. One that haunts you in the manner that Margaret’s traumas haunt her. 

As to what exactly goes into that ending, we don’t discuss here, since it needs to be experienced. But what matters more is that this is an important horror film, for it puts trauma and its power on display here and creates a cautionary tale regarding it in the process. In that, those who suffer from it… will indeed go down a difficult road if they don’t confront it and solve it and remove its power the right way. Which is a road that is as tough as it gets, but worth it, since it teaches those victims… it was never their fault. They were simply caught up in the actions of the worst monster of all, man, and now they can be free, and it just so happens… that you don’t have to wait that much longer to see this powerhouse motion picture. For Resurrection is available to stream on Shudder now, and we hope you give it a look, because this movie matters, and starts an important discussion that we’ve held off having for far too long.

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