(https://i.imgur.com/BgTKOvG.png)
Studio: Shudder
Release Date: 9/22/2026
Rating: R
Film Grade: B
The Story: Margot Romero is getting her life back in order after her sister’s tragic accident. Her day job is filtering out inappropriate content from Kino, a video hosting service for users across the world. As a moderator, she has to make split second decisions on what is and isn’t appropriate. While rifling through flagged videos she finds one depicting a beheading. While the executioners are clearly mannequins, the creator put a lot of effort into making the victim look real. She clicks the allow button after assessing it as fake.
The next day a similar video shows up for review, following the same pattern: Fake executioners, realistic victim. Margot alerts her supervisor, who dismissively tells her to allow it, since that kind of content is trending.
And then the third video shows up, this one more gruesome than the last so Margot flags it for removal. As she’s about to leave for the day, she passes a group of coworkers sharing a laugh over a video. Margot’s shocked to see it’s the video she had earlier flagged; what disgusted her is amusing to them. This sends her down an investigatory road that leads her to an old cult film: Faces of Death.
My Take: For those of us around in the 70s and 80s, the title will bring back vivid memories. Extremely controversial at the time, the hype made it a gruesome curiosity that flared up again when it was released on VHS. As one of the characters in this film states, “It was like the, the first viral video before the internet invented viral videos.” Despite it later being proven as largely fabricated, I never had even the most remote desire to watch it. Seeing real humans dying or getting killed isn’t entertainment and beyond distasteful.
That brings us to this film, which isn’t a remake of the original, only using it as a springboard to for a sociological/psychological thriller. The killer uses the original movie as inspiration to bring vicarious thrills to a modern audience that’s constantly craving content. The movie uses that concept not just as a clever plot device but also as a way to question today’s society, elevating it far above the film it takes its name from.
In the balance of censorship versus freedom, where does the line stand and who controls it? In an era where serial killers get love letters from adoring fans, what does it tell us about modern culture? What is the role of morality when even the most agreed upon reprehensible acts are mindlessly consumed by some as entertainment? None of this is handled in a ham-fisted way but always bubbling below the surface thanks to the smart script.
Barbie Ferreira leads the cast as Margot. Unlike the typical scream queen featured in these kinds of movies, the former plus-sized model grounds the story in the real world. Her passion and drive bring life to the character while giving the audience someone to care about beyond surface level cuteness. Filling that role is Josie Totah, who’s provides the essence of every vapid influencer so readily found on social media these days, making her an ideal target. On the other side is Dacre Montgomery as the methodical creator of the videos. His icy cold presence is truly disturbing, a memorable performance in the pantheon of cinema’s serial killers.
There are a few minor flaws in the script, but they’re easy to overlook. It balances some of the dark subject matter with references to corporate culture, such as training slides that remind employees that their health is their own responsibly, and a crude but hilarious poster with an angry cat that spells out a rule that shouldn’t need explaining.
Audio and Video: The movie opens with pixelated versions of the movie production logos and then incorporates actual clips from web videos and original movie to establish the setting. Shot on film, the overall look is glum and moody. There’s visible grain, giving it a throwback feel. A number of tracking shots are well executed for a low-budget movie.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is on the simple side; I would have liked to have gotten a port of the theatrical film’s Atmos mix. Still, there are some effective moments that raise it to average. The killer uses narration from the original movie for his shorts, which comes across in a remarkably creepy way.
On the other hand, I absolutely loved Gavin Brivik’s score. From the opening strains it has clear late 70s to early 80s vibes with its electronic tones. By the end of the movie, it morphs into something out of Midsommar.
Special Features: The commentary track gives us insight from writer/director Daniel Goldhaber and cowriter Isa Mazzei. They discuss some studio decisions that they didn’t agree with, hoping that a true director’s cut may be released in the future. One of those decisions was the opening scene, with the original being featured as an extra. They also mention a great example of serendipity, as one of the set dressers asked if it was OK if the way a phone was taped to a wall made it look like a hashtag. (The obvious answer was that it was a perfect touch.)
- Alternative Opening Scene
- Extended Scene
- Death Scenes
- Kino Videos
- Train Video
- Filmmaker Commentary
Final Verdict: Don’t let the title of this movie throw you off. While it clearly takes inspiration from the older film, the themes are much deeper than one would expect. This elevates it far beyond the typical slasher, without neglecting the need to provide a chilling story. While there is some gore, the most disturbing aspect of this movie is the mirror it holds up to society.
The result is a combination of Silence of the Lambs and Hush. While falling slightly short of those, it’s still a solid entry in the genre. My wife enjoys thrillers but is less enamored of horror, and found this equally engaging as I did. We both agreed that we would never want to be content moderators, as what it reveals about people is something we’d rather be blissfully unaware of.
Highly recommended for horror and thriller fans. And for those looking for something new to watch during the upcoming Halloween season, put this on your watch list. The trailer sets up the movie well without giving everything away.
Reflective Dialog: “ – Because the algorithm loves remakes. People love remakes. If it is a remake, well, you can get away with murder. Hmm. And ‘Faces’ is funny.”
Red band trailer (NSFW):
https://youtu.be/mc6L502Ukb4
This review was written by a human without the use of AI.
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup