It would make sense to assume that the title of A Wounded Fawn refers to one of the victims of serial killer Bruce Ernst (Josh Ruben), who uses his unassuming charm and position in the art world to lure women to their deaths. That's how the movie opens, as Bruce follows his colleague Kate Horna (Malin Barr) home from an auction, claiming that his client wants to make a lucrative offer on the ancient Greek sculpture she's just purchased for her own client. He easily gets her to let her guard down so he can slash her throat and leave her bleeding out on the floor of her apartment. It's a chilling moment that immediately establishes the striking visual style from director and co-writer Travis Stevens.

Despite her apparent violent end, though, Kate isn't the wounded fawn of the title. Nor is it Meredith Tanning (Sarah Lind), Bruce's next intended victim. There's a shift about halfway through A Wounded Fawn that reveals Bruce himself as the title character when the movie descends into full-on psychedelic chaos. Before that, it's a stylish but more traditional suspense piece, as Meredith seems to be falling right into Bruce's trap. She's introduced talking to her therapist about a long-term abusive relationship she finally escaped, but she doesn't seem to hesitate when Bruce invites her for a weekend getaway at his secluded cabin, even though they barely know each other.

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Josh Ruben in A Wounded Fawn

Meredith may not yet realize that Bruce is going to kill her, but it doesn't take long for her to understand that he's not as nice as he first seems. On their long drive out to the cabin, he declines her request to stop to use the bathroom, insisting that she wait until they arrive. Stevens cheekily follows that scene with images of literal red flags flapping in the breeze at a roadside stand. Still, Meredith is initially wowed by Bruce's luxurious cabin and the fancy art on display, including that ancient Greek sculpture he stole from his previous victim. Stevens creates a sense of impending dread as Bruce waits for the strange owl-like spirit who appears to him every time before he kills someone.

That spirit is an indication of the surreal nightmare to come in A Wounded Fawn, which is shot on beautifully grainy 16mm film, giving it an appealing retro aesthetic. Although it takes place in the present day, A Wounded Fawn feels like a low-budget horror production unearthed from the 1970s, in the best way. It's an adventurous step for indie horror staple Stevens, whose previous films include Girl on the Third Floor and Jakob's Wife, recalling vintage-style horror movies like Mandy and Ti West's X. There's a strong Giallo influence as well, from the bold use of color to the old-fashioned bright red fake blood.

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Malin Barr in A Wounded Fawn

In the Giallo tradition, A Wounded Fawn stops making sense at around the time its "Act Two" title card appears onscreen when the dynamic between Bruce and Meredith changes. She never comes off as a hapless victim, but Bruce clearly has the advantage over her for a while, lulling her into a sense of comfort before going in for the kill. He's driven by the appearance of that owl-like demon, which represents the urge to kill that he briefly attempts to repress. Many more strange beings appear after Bruce finally makes his move on Meredith, as he's tormented by the Furies from Greek mythology, figures that are represented in the stolen sculpture.

Stevens creates a series of striking, disturbing images in A Wounded Fawn's second half, although, with almost no plot to hold onto, they get a bit repetitive. Meredith and Kate become avatars of vengeance rather than real characters, as they turn Bruce from hunter into hunted. Ruben is charismatic and funny even when playing a murderous psychopath, and A Wounded Fawn risks coming off as a kind of redemption story for Bruce. Because the second half is so abstract, it loses sight of the previously established character development for Meredith in her therapy session and a scene of her chatting with her friends before heading off with Bruce.

For viewers who can let go of the attachment to plot and characters, though, A Wounded Fawn offers plenty to appreciate. The design of the Furies is creative and creepy, relying primarily on practical effects. The score by Vaaal is pulsating and immersive, giving the surreal scenes the sense of a trippy music video at times. Ruben holds it together with his sometimes dark, sometimes goofy performance, even when he has the only speaking role for long stretches. A Wounded Fawn doesn't conform to the expectations it sets for itself at the outset, but it goes in some weirdly rewarding directions instead.

A Wounded Fawn premieres Thursday, Dec. 1 on Shudder.