Wounds compounds the disturbing imagery by failing to capitalize on its central idea. A rift in a partnership, described as ‘The Visible Filth,’ can erode both people’s mental and emotional well-being, leading to sorrow and regret that influence their thoughts and actions—an unfortunate situation even for couples who seem completely devoted. I'm quite puzzled, no, actually, I'm utterly bewildered. The director previously created what appeared to be a remarkable debut horror film with ‘Under the Shadow’ (which I have yet to see...), then decided to try his hand at mainstream Hollywood filmmaking with this psychological disappointment. Just one question kept popping into my head during the concluding scene filled with cockroaches: “What. Seriously?”. A bartender intervenes in a fight and finds a discarded mobile phone belonging to some underage students. He manages to guess the password on his second attempt by observing marks on the screen, and then seems to become influenced by something from an unknown source. The metaphorical meaning of the title requires minimal effort to portray. Problems in a relationship cause people to grow apart and become more aggressive—that much is clear. The director establishes a melodramatic tone right from the opening bar scene that overshadows any genuine horror elements. Then, the character Hammer picks up the mobile phone and repeatedly slams it against surfaces about six times throughout the film, which marks the beginning of the story's downfall. Without question, I can confidently say nothing substantial happened in this movie. There was absolutely no advancement of the plot. The last minute of the film mirrored the first minute in terms of development. Every character proved to be unlikeable. Each sudden scare felt like a jarring flash accompanied by an unpleasant sound. The story is nearly impossible to follow because underdeveloped horror elements are awkwardly inserted and don't connect with the dramatic moments. Gnostic rituals? A dimensional portal emerging from a man’s face? Excessive perspiration? The plot’s themes and writing are undermined by simplistic choices that irritate this troubled film. It’s undeniable that a talented cast was wasted on a poorly written script. Hammer deserves better material. Beetz deserves better. Johnson certainly deserves better. I'm genuinely at a loss. The strange decisions the characters make, such as refusing to turn in the phone to the police or even unlocking it initially, caused me to react with frustration repeatedly. And serving alcohol to minors! Really! Plot devices that don’t make sense, like the unexplained presence of students involved in some kind of cult and the entire ridiculous final five minutes, detracted from any attempt at a psychological exploration of a fractured relationship. Is anything actually resolved? I'm unsure because I dozed off during the last thirty minutes. The amount of alcohol consumed? Infidelity? Theft? There’s really nothing to appreciate here. This is a major failure for the director and has firmly placed this video-on-demand release among the worst films of the year. It ran for over ninety minutes, but it felt much longer. That, in itself, has disappointed me. The recovery will be lengthy and difficult...

Source on TMDB