Meredith Tanning, a local museum curator, is dipping her toe back into the dating pool, only to be targeted by a charming serial killer. When a fateful romantic getaway between the two becomes a tense game of cat and mouse, both must confront the madness within him.

For in-depth thoughts on A Wounded Fawn, please see my colleague Mike Vaughn’s review from its original festival release here.

Video Quality

A Wounded Fawn makes its Blu-Ray debut with a fantastic 1080p presentation in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio that displays the gritty throwback 16mm cinematography well. The tasteful modern production design juxtaposes impeccably with the rural shooting locations to provide clear textural details. Black levels avoid most signs of banding outside a few moments in the vastness of night, as they largely maintain their depth. The flesh tones are natural with a stellar amount of detail present in the grotesque close-ups. The image is textured with small specks and nicks of print damage to add a bit of character to the experience. The natural color palette springs off the screen with deep colors found in the carefully manicured frame. The presentation manages to conjure a great sense of depth when exploring the forest while also feeling a bit claustrophobic. This Blu-Ray is an excellent representation of this movie.

Audio Quality

Shudder gives this Blu-Ray a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that effortlessly calls forth all of the sonic details with the necessary nuance. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overshadowed by any competing sounds. Thrilling moments occur in regular intervals at first before ratcheting up to a full-blown nightmare in the latter half of the journey. Numerous moments deliver exceptional texture to the proceedings. Environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speaker in a very memorable and unsettling way.

The terrifying sound design assaults you with a potent force as the characters encounter more disturbing developments. You hear screams and objects hurling towards you from various directions to keep you on guard. When the characters are moving through the cabin or the woods, various distinct ambient details expand the setting. The soundtrack is impressive and capably balanced while maintaining an ideal fidelity. The audio track provides a knockout showcase full of peccadillos that bring this narrative to life in a way that will thrill genre fans. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Conversations – Behind The Scenes Interviews: A 36-minute collection of interviews with the sculptor, the composer, and the SFX makeup artists where they discuss how they executed their craft on the film.

On Set – Actors & Costumer Interviews: Another 29-minute selection of interviews with the performers discussing their characters, their experiences working on the film, and more interspersed with footage from the production. There is also a conversation with the costume designer about the outfits featured in the film.

Coaxial – Short Film By Travis Stevens: A nearly six-minute animated short film featuring a score by the same composer who scored A Wounded Fawn. There is not a narrative to this.

Photo Gallery: A nearly four-minute look at moments from the production.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “The Surreal Alchemy and Inner Bestiary of A Wounded Fawn” from writer Sabina Stent is provided here. This piece gives a well-rounded analysis of the themes and influences on the film.

Final Thoughts

A Wounded Fawn is a very strong effort from director Travis Stevens that toys with you in an effective way. The first half of the movie is all about the build-up of overwhelming dread, but the second half plunges you into an unpredictable living nightmare. Both halves work in tandem to quickly get you invested and hunger for a potential catharsis. This is aided by the strong central performances of Sarah Lind and Josh Ruben, who play their parts to perfection. The film does not endeavor to always make the audience-friendly choice, but it is the adherence to its creative vision that makes it linger in your mind after the credits have stopped rolling. Shudder has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a favorable assortment of special features. Recommended

A Wounded Fawn is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Shudder and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.