‘Faces’ Review: Horror Short Scares in Bloody Spades [Fantasia 2024]
‘Faces’ is a deeply impressive, indie horror effort by way of a short-form story and unbound, nightmarish visuals. You aren’t going to be able to do much better on the Fantasia 2024 lineup than with these fifteen-ish minutes of calculated creepiness and steep technical prowess. This is a hit no matter how you swing it.
On the face, the film flies as a typical spooky affair. Sequences build, bounce off of the environment and reliable expectation, and explode into scares of tried and true fashion.
But there’s more to Faces than meets the eye. There’s a story that, for as short as the runtime is, does very well in exhibiting a deeper level of context not shown, but hinted at. The best short films are able to convince you of the world that they create in the same way that a feature length film can. It’s odd, and occasionally hard to follow, but it’s still there, and that matters no matter what. Add that accomplishment to the list for Faces.
It isn’t a total joyride, though. Where Faces succeeds is also where it reminds you of its limitations. As noted, the scare sequences are numerous, and basically effective. But they all rely on the same systems to scare, if you will, and by the final time around, they feel less impactful.
Red lights flash, bodies contort, and bones break; reset, rinse, repeat. This is the formula that not only Faces uses, but a good number of modern horror films, too. Some good, some bad, but all very similar.
Faces, again, falls in that former category of good films that utilize worn out tropes. It’s a take it or leave it scenario in that way. If it manages to jump you, take it and give credit where credit is due. If not, file your grievances and move on. This film specifically can’t be blamed for those tendencies, even if it can be judged by them.
But to try and tear into this one would be pointless, as the clearly impassioned efforts of the filmmakers and all involved by far and away exceed any sort of bump that sticks out in the final product.
We need more movies like Faces. Not only on the small scale, but in theaters nationwide, working to reform a genre that has only been kept alive by content of the same caliber. Efficient, full of care, and running on fear, Faces is a good old fashioned horror thrill-ride.