In FACES OF DEATH, the exploration of the original film’s infamous “is it real or not?” conceit continues as a woman (Ferreira) working as a content moderator for a major video platform 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.

For in-depth thoughts on Faces of Death, please see my colleague Dave Giannini’s review from its original theatrical debut here. 

For additional insights, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

The film debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in its original 2.20:1 aspect ratio which proves to be a fetching representation of the work. The movie has a steely color palette that is faithfully saturated in what are mostly interiors with flashes of stark lighting or bold elements of production design. Various colors make an impression, but we are more beguiled by the detail and clarity. With this transfer, you can appreciate the detail on display, especially in the killer’s house filled with unsettling items. There are also plenty of unique textures to be appreciated when out in the open air. 

The movie utilizes darkness to ratchet up tension, and the transfer provides deep black levels that do not experience crush or other shortcomings. There is no serious damage or digital noise on display in this transfer. Objects hold up pretty well in the shadows and retain their depth with minimal banding at hand. There is the slightest loss in detail when it comes to some of the panning shots in the shadows, but it is not a significant issue throughout. We would love to have this on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but it looks great in HD. 

Audio Quality

Faces of Death arrives on Blu-Ray with a commendable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original English. Dialogue and various sound effects remain capably balanced with the music  where nothing gets muddled in the track. Surround channels provide some unsettling activity with the interior tones and other creaks from the darkness during any build-up to a potential threat. The track’s low end provides some visceral texture when the tension is nearly unbearable. The movie digs deep when it needs to, and environmental sounds provide an immersive atmosphere for the story. The experience matches the thrills of the narrative and will be appreciated by horror fans who pick up this disc. Optional English SDH and French subtitles are provided. 

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Special Features

  • Audio Commentary: Daniel Goldhaber (writer, director) and Isa Mazzei (writer) provide a commentary track in which they discuss the production process, the secrets behind various shots, elements that continue throughout their movies, moments that didn’t make the final cut, and more. 
  • Alternative Opening Scene: A minute-and-a-half-long alternate opening that introduces us to our killer more quickly. 
  • Extended Scene – Arthur Intro: A minute-long extended introduction to our killer. 
  • @SamGrav Kino Videos:  A nearly nine-minute collection of videos from the influencer featured in the film. 
  • Train Video: A 13-second look at the train video that haunts our protagonist. 
  • Death Scenes: Complete videos of the deaths recreated in the film. 
    • Beheading (0:19)
    • Electrocution (0:48)
    • Hammerhead (1:15)
    • Swat (0:13) 

 

Final Thoughts

Faces of Death is a thoughtfully crafted thriller that takes our digital obsession and upends what we categorize as entertainment in the age of mass desensitization. Director Daniel Goldhaber and co-writer Isa Mazzei make the smart move to ground the tension in something personal, which is brought to life brilliantly by Barbie Ferreira. There are some character decisions that will make you scream at the screen, but the film largely succeeds in exploring its topic with intelligence without sacrificing the entertainment value. RLJE Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a few cool special features. If you are a fan of the genre, you should not miss this one. Recommended 

Faces of Death is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: RLJE Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.