'Faces of Death' Review
- John Odette
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Release Date: 04/10/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Horror.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: IFC Films. Shudder.
The Verdict: A Must-See
Give the people what they want.
That is the mantra in this updated iteration of Faces of Death. The original film, from 1978, was an exploitative, faux documentary showcasing snuff films that turned out to be fake. Director Daniel Goldhaber and his co-writer Isa Mazzei have crafted a revival, leveraging today’s technology and our vulnerable attention to simultaneously pay homage to its predecessor and comment on today’s dependence on phone apps and social currency.
Barbie Ferreira delivers a crushing performance as Margot, a content moderator for a pseudo-TikTok app called Kino. After reviewing some particularly graphic and realistic videos, Margot begins a deep dive into their origins, eventually uncovering a plot in which someone is intentionally remaking vignettes from the original Faces of Death. Except this time, truly murdering the victims on screen.
That homicidal someone is Arthur, played by Dacre Montgomery, a cell service provider by day, and a sociopathic killer by night. His job and expertise allow him to deftly track and target certain individuals online that he then kidnaps and places into his videos so he can kill them for his engaged Kino audience.
Montgomery channels Arthur as the ultimate psychopath, manipulative, creepy, and lacking any empathy. His costume, made up of red contacts and a solid white mask, channels his wickedness, devoid of humanity or compassion.
Margot begins connecting dots of the deaths and missing persons through unethical data collection and Reddit posts, as Arthur counters by locating Margot’s position. The two engage in a cat-and-mouse game, with Margot fighting not only for her own credibility but also for her life.
Ferreira’s performance should not be understated. She is a powerful presence on screen and shoulders the lead role with power and grace. Margot’s job includes screening multiple videos daily for flagged content, a task that can eventually lead to burnout. She even briefs this byproduct during a company tour for new hires.
She manages her daily subjugation to dubious internet content with drugs. More so because the constant barrage of imagery often triggers her own trauma when her sister was killed by a train while the pair were recording a social media dance trend; this tragic accident has scarred Margot internally, but also externally, as complete strangers address her as “train girl.”
This film addresses two key points about social media and, amidst the carnage and drama, nails them both.
The first is the wide gulf between viewing screens and living in reality; this separation constructs an apathetic crowd that often fails to remember that humans are on the other end of the screen.
Secondly, the notion of following trends or becoming an influencer in the social media space can often be a slippery slope that becomes the anchor point for finding one’s own value and self-worth. This feedback loop only feeds on itself if you give people what they want.
Horror wading into these spaces to question society is nothing new. There is also a conversation about accountability to be had regarding the social media platforms that host content and their role in reshaping society.
Margot’s boss tells her their job as content moderators is not “morality police.” This talking point continues to be a discussion in this era, especially regarding when to mitigate misinformation, prevent violence, and promote safety.
This film is gruesome in parts, filled with heavy violence and pockets of gore. The plot is very run-of-the-mill thriller fare and does not break much new ground. But it delivers on what horror does best. Faces of Death is a bloody, violent commentary on the attention economy, buoyed by delicious lead performances by Ferreira and Montgomery. It fucking rips.
