Faceless After Dark review.
A very specific revenge fantasy results in one of the most entertaining horror films of the year.
This review alludes to a spoiler. Unavoidable given the film’s marketing.
Faceless After Dark
Directed by Raymond Wood
Written by Todd Jacobs and Jenna Kanell
Starring Jenna Kanell, Danny Kang, Danielle Lyn, Max Calder, Michael Aaron Milligan, Katherine Barnes and Jason MacDonald
Faceless After Dark Review
Jenna Kanell turns her experience as star of Terrifier into something wild…and wildly entertaining. Kanell co-writes and stars as Bowie…a struggling actress whose claim to fame is her role in a slasher movie where she is stalked by an evil clown. It’s a fun elevator pitch. The final product is a much deeper and more insightful take on the drawbacks of fame…wrapped in the warm glow of psychotic vengeance.
The plot synopsis (and trailer) of Faceless After Dark is a lie. It reads: “Following her breakout role in a killer clown horror flick, Bowie now finds herself struggling to capitalize on its success, but when she is suddenly held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film’s fatal plot.” Well…it’s two truths and a lie. Bowie is struggling to follow up on her breakout role…and a man in a clown mask does break into her home. Faceless After Dark, however…isn’t the movie it sells itself as. It’s something much more interesting.
Before we get to that…it needs to be said how strong the build to the film’s big moment is. The first act of Faceless After Dark is an entertaining but dense look at the life of an independent horror film star. Bowie lives with her more successful girlfriend. Her best friend is more successful as well…and he has to let her know that his new movie won’t include her as promised. The studio wants a “name” actress. She attends conventions…taking photos with fans and repeating dialog she didn’t like in the first place. In a nice touch…fellow Terrifier star Catherine Corcoran cameos beside Kanell at the convention.
Worse than her career problems…Bowie has some toxic fans constantly sliding into her DMs. She’s greeted with a constant stream of abuse whenever she opens her phone. Faceless After Dark does a tremendous job introducing us to Bowie’s world. Opening with a scene from the movie that made her famous…right through the quieter moments after her girlfriend rushes to London for a part in a superhero movie. How much of this Kanell has based on real experiences is something only she would know (her filmography will quickly reveal that she has not struggled to find quality work like Bowie), but it all feels real enough.
Her worst fears come to fruition when a “fan” in a mask breaks into her home. This is where the movie diverges from the plot summary in a major way. A budding scream queen victimized by an obsessed movie fan could make for a fine movie. The path that Faceless After Dark takes is even more entertaining.
The fact that Kanell starred in Terrifier…a real horror movie about a killer clown…does some interesting heavy lifting in Faceless After Dark. It provides a knowing place for the first act to live in. A meta-commentary with enough kernels of reality to add extra layers to everything. It also lets the movie hide its true intentions. Everything up to a certain point plays out in a manner befitting the story that the movie is selling itself to be. The specificity of the star of Terrifier being stalked by a fan in a clown mask is enough to make you buy in to it as the plot of this movie. It isn’t. All the world building and character study is leading to something else. Something twistedly fun.
Kanell is fantastic in the role of Bowie. Regardless of how much the character is based on her own experiences…Bowie is a great character. Whether she is dealing with rejection, fighting for her life, or attempting to take her career into her own hands…Kanell gives a great performance.
We won’t say any more so that you can experience the fun ride that Faceless After Dark offers for yourself. You won’t want to miss out on one of the more interesting character studies we’ve seen in some time. A darkly funny story full of meaningful, satisfying moments. Highlighted by a great lead performance and an abundance of style.
Scare Value
Faceless After Dark isn’t the movie you think it is. It isn’t even the movie that it’s advertised to be. What it is, however, is one of the most entertaining horror movies of the year. Kanell delivers a top-notch performance in a role that allows her to do a lot of fun things. Dark, funny, brutal and memorable. Faceless After Dark is one to seek out.
4/5
Faceless After Dark Links
Rent/Buy on VOD from VUDU and Amazon
Order on Blu-Ray from Amazon
