'Faces of Death' Review: A Thought-Provoking Horror for the Modern Age
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
By Becca Johnson - April 9, 2026
Directed by Daniel Goldhaber (How to Blow Up a Pipeline), Faces of Death finds an intriguing way to bring back the original 70’s flick by continuing its ‘is it real or not?’ concept. Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria) plays Margot, a content moderator for a major video platform, who discovers what appears to be re-enactments of murders from the original film. In an online world where nothing can be trusted, she must determine whether the violence is fiction, or unfolding in real time. Featuring two memorable performances from Ferreira and Montgomery, Faces of Death is a thought-provoking horror for the modern age, offering twisted scares and a frightening villain.
In a world of remakes, reboots and sequels, director Daniel Goldhaber has found an interesting way to bring back the underseen 70’s flick Faces of Death. In this new instalment, that original exists within the story. Someone seems to be re-enacting those brutal murders, and our main protagonist even has to delve into the uncomfortable 1978 flick to aid her investigation. This meta interpretation is a really fun way of re-introducing the ideas and concepts from that film, whilst steering clear of just simply remaking it. Our world has never been as digital as it is now, so this new rendition feels incredibly timely.
Protagonist Margot is faced with an onslaught of grizzly videos daily, an it’s up to her to weed out the fakes and keep the real deal off the internet. Her often blasé approach to these heinous videos gives an insightful look into how detached we’ve become from violence. From movies and TV shows to the genuine stuff you can come across on social media, brutality is the norm for many modern folk. From her roommate’s obsession with old school horror to her colleagues sharing round the videos and laughing at them, we get an up-front look of the modern attitude towards gore and violence. Not only does Goldhaber find an interesting way to rethread the ground of the original, but adds even further thematic depth to it.
The main method of horror is within these grotesque videos that Margot is auditing, but Faces of Death has a lot more to offer than internet spooks. Intercut with Margot’s frantic clicking is a sadistic serial killer, stalking his perfect prey online and kidnapping them to create these videos. Blending slasher with tech horror makes for a consistently gripping watch, that certainly has a high enough fear factor to satiate horror fans. The body horror is also top notch, providing plenty of wince-inducing injuries. This take is a lot more engaging than just watching a slew of snuff films, as Margot’s investigation into these videos keeps you on your toes and leaves you guessing.
Bringing together Goldhaber’s ideas and the effective horror are the fantastic performances at the centre. Barbie Ferreira is fantastic as Margot, a character who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of these videos. Constant undermining from her boss who doesn’t want the aggro cannot work against her, as the guilt from a prior incident when she was younger forces her to want to do good. A complex character carrying heavy emotion and a tragic past, Ferreira brings her to life effortlessly. Most viewers will know Dacre Montgomery from his turn as Billy in Stranger Things - the villain he’s playing this time around is far more frightening. It’s a highly different role for Montgomery, and he embodies the freaky serial killer who gets under your skin so competently. From the outside, he may look like a regular guy, but the way he talks and behaves shows you otherwise. He’s creepy as hell.
The enjoyment of the final act will definitely be down to personal taste, as it does go a little off the rails like many horror films tend to. Whilst some might get a high level of entertainment value from that as there’s technically more going on, others may feel short-changed as the first two acts were on the slicker, tidier side. The investigation and dual perspective is so intriguing that when both mesh together, you lose a bit of that draw.
Though this is likely to divide viewers, there’s one other criticism that most will agree on - the underuse of the supporting cast. As superb as Ferreira and Montgomery are, there’s some heavy players alongside them that wind up with very little screen time. Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening) is making quite a name for himself within the genre, but here just gets reduced to the ignorant boss. Whilst he aces this role, he has a lot more under his belt to offer, so it does feel a shame. There’s also another huge name that most viewers will be drawn to - Charli XCX. The singer-cum-actor has shown her face in a few recent movies, including her own creation The Moment from earlier this year, but her inclusion in Faces of Death ultimately feels random. With about three lines of dialogue and two particularly short scenes, fans considering paying the admission price for her alone will definitely leave the cinema underwhelmed.
Slightly chaotic final act aside, Faces of Death shows how a reboot can be done right. By making it a timely watch with thematic depth, it draws on what made the original so infamous whilst adding plenty of worth to it. The gruesome horror and fantastic lead performances are the cherry on top, helping bring Goldhaber’s vision to life. You’ll come for the violence and gore that the marketing has promised, but you’ll stay for the intoxicating story.
'Faces of Death' releases in US cinemas April 10.
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