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Drama thriller

Wounds (2019): Cast, Ratings, Ending & Where to Watch

Wounds (2019) movie poster

Wounds is a 2019 drama thriller directed by Babak Anvari, starring Armie Hammer as Will, Zazie Beetz and Karl Glusman. It is based on Wounds by Nathan Ballingrud. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes. Critics gave it 47% on Rotten Tomatoes and 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.1/10. Stream it on Hulu.

IMDb rating
4.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes
47%
Echo Score
48
Metascore
51
Wounds (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 35m (95 min)
Director
Babak Anvari
Genres
Drama , Mystery , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
Studio
Hulu
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Wounds About?

The premise of Wounds without spoilers, adapted from Wounds by Nathan Ballingrud. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.

A New Orleans bartender's routine is shattered when he finds a discarded phone, triggering a series of unsettling and inexplicable events. Haunted by disturbing images and voices, he becomes increasingly desperate to understand the device’s origins and the unsettling connection it has to a brutal attack. As the strange occurrences escalate, he must confront the dark secrets hidden within the city and the terrifying consequences of his discovery.

Wounds Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • bartender
  • bar fight
  • group of college kids
  • lost phone
  • losing a job
  • swarm of cockroaches
  • ambiguous ending
  • body horror
  • bartender as protagonist
  • cockroach infestation
  • working in a bar
  • bar drunk
+38 more
  • student girlfriend
  • stabbed in cheek
  • stabbed with broken bottle
  • smartphone
  • boyfriend suspecting girlfriend of cheating
  • infected wound
  • intense nightmares
  • boyfriend considering cheating
  • man jealous of another man
  • decapitated head
  • taking stranger's phone
  • hand rising from a head
  • phone message
  • stalked
  • boyfriend girlfriend relationship
  • supernatural horror
  • cockroach
  • woman in a trance
  • strange video
  • gore
  • inhuman entity
  • possession
  • insect coming out of someone's body
  • interdimensional being
  • summoning gone wrong
  • gnostic ritual
  • wound as portal
  • gnosticism
  • human host
  • world between worlds
  • catatonic state
  • boyfriend girlfriend fight
  • boyfriend girlfriend breakup
  • rundown bar
  • loveless relationship
  • man bathes a woman
  • humanoid entity
  • driven insane
Where to watch

Where to Watch Wounds

Stream it on Hulu. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Stream 1

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

Wounds Cast & Characters

Armie Hammer leads the cast as Will, with Zazie Beetz as Alicia and Karl Glusman as Jeffrey. Directed by Babak Anvari; 18 actors are credited in all.

Ratings

Wounds Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Wounds 47% on Rotten Tomatoes and 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 4.1/10. Our Echo Score gives it 48/100, strongest in sensory experience (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (30).

48 /100

Wounds Echo Score Breakdown

Wounds stands out for its unsettling sensory atmosphere but struggles with uneven craft and narrative cohesion. While the film effectively generates shivers through its disturbing visuals and mood-driven direction, it frequently undercuts its impact with a threadbare plot and thin character work. The pacing and lack of a satisfying resolution leave many viewers disengaged despite moments of genuine tension. Overall, Wounds delivers memorable horror imagery but falls short in storytelling depth and emotional resonance, resulting in a mixed viewing experience.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 45

    In terms of art and craft, Wounds exhibits moments of strong visual composition but lacks consistent production finesse. The film’s direction achieves some striking atmospheric sequences, yet its limited local color and uneven editing leave certain scenes feeling underdeveloped. A few sequences suggest a confident eye for visual storytelling, but overall the design and technical cohesion remain inconsistent. The net impression is that the craft occasionally shines but fails to sustain a polished cinematic experience.

  • Character & Emotion 50

    When it comes to character and emotion, the film presents an intriguing concept but falters in execution. Armie Hammer’s protagonist is portrayed as an emotionally hollow figure, and supporting roles often feel underwritten, limiting opportunities for genuine connection. A few performances bring nuance to the themes of personal weakness and addiction, but these are offset by one-dimensional portrayals. As a result, the emotional engagement remains uneven, yielding a mixed impression of character depth throughout the film.

  • Story & Flow 40

    In terms of story and flow, the narrative frequently struggles with coherence and payoff. The premise begins with promise, introducing ominous mystery and psychological tension, but the plot loses momentum amid unmotivated jolts and an unresolved ending. Pacing issues further undermine engagement as the film drifts without delivering clear narrative direction or satisfying closure. The net impression is of a disjointed storyline that frustrates more than it enthralls.

  • Sensory Experience 75

    The sensory experience is among the film’s strongest assets, marked by an unnerving soundtrack, stark sound design, and a cohesive visual style. Disquieting imagery, effective jump scares, and a measured color palette contribute to a pervasive sense of dread. Some viewers note a tendency toward excessive gross effects that can distract from underlying tension, yet the overall atmosphere remains impactful. In sum, the film succeeds in creating an unsettling mood that will resonate strongly with genre enthusiasts.

  • Rewatch Factor 30

    Regarding rewatch factor, Wounds offers limited replay value due to its unresolved narrative and shallow character arcs. While the film delivers striking moments of horror, the lack of a clear payoff diminishes the incentive to revisit. Occasional thrills may stand out on a second viewing, but the overarching sense of incompleteness and forgettable plot elements curtails lasting appeal. Overall, this title is unlikely to inspire repeated viewings for most audiences.

Plot

Wounds Plot Summary & Ending Explained

What happens in Wounds from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Will, a bartender in New Orleans, finds himself immersed in chaos while working at a deteriorating bar plagued by cockroaches. One fateful night, the bar sees a mix of patrons, including Alicia, her boyfriend Jeffrey, and a drunken man named Eric, who soon gets into a violent altercation, resulting in him being stabbed in the cheek with a shattered bottle. Panic ensues as college students flee the bar, leaving behind a forgotten phone.

Full summary

The whole story of Wounds, scene by scene, with the ending explained

Read the full summary
Videos

Wounds Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

Official Trailer
  • Trailer Official International Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Wounds?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What does Will discover while snooping through the abandoned phone?

Details

Wounds Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “Zakhmha” and “Heridas”.

Also known as
  • Zakhmha
  • Heridas
  • 상처의 해석
  • ワウンズ 呪われたメッセージ
  • ワウンズ:呪われたメッセージ
  • สัญญาณสั่งตาย
  • Раны
  • 凶机恶煞
  • Τραύματα
  • Рани
  • Contato Visceral
  • Rany
+8 more
  • 厄鈴
  • Sebek
  • פצעים
  • Rány
  • Tổn Thương
  • ワウンズ: 呪われたメッセージ
  • Žaizdos
  • 聞 Phone 色變

Seen Wounds?

FAQ

Wounds FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of Wounds, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Wounds?

Wounds runs 1 hour 35 minutes (95 minutes).

When was Wounds released?

Wounds was released on October 18, 2019.

Who directed Wounds?

Wounds was directed by Babak Anvari.

More films by Babak Anvari

Who is in the cast of Wounds?

Wounds stars Armie Hammer as Will, Zazie Beetz as Alicia and Karl Glusman as Jeffrey, among 18 credited actors.

Where can I watch Wounds?

In the US, Wounds is streaming on Hulu (availability from JustWatch).

How is Wounds rated?

Wounds has 4.1/10 on IMDb, 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, 51 on Metacritic and 40% on TMDB.

Is Wounds based on a book?

Yes. Wounds is adapted from Wounds by Nathan Ballingrud.

Does Wounds have a post-credit scene?

No. Wounds has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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