Faces of Death
Modern reboot focuses on digital horror and content moderation rather than shock footage
The brief
Daniel Goldhaber takes the infamous shock-doc franchise into the digital age with a surprisingly smart thriller that feels like scrolling through the internet's darkest corners at 3am. Barbie Ferreira anchors the paranoia as a content moderator who can't unsee what she's stumbled across, while the film builds genuine dread through uncomfortably realistic depictions of online rabbit holes and algorithmic horror. The pacing mimics the addictive, anxiety-inducing nature of doom-scrolling, making you complicit in the voyeuristic nightmare. Perfect for fans of Cam or The Den who want their tech horror served with actual substance rather than cheap jump scares.
The verdict
If you crave intelligent tech horror that captures the genuine unease of our extremely online existence, this is a smartly crafted psychological thriller that turns digital doomscrolling into genuine dread. If you're expecting traditional horror scares or can't handle the anxiety-inducing paranoia of internet rabbit holes, you'll find this too slow and uncomfortably realistic for entertainment.
Watch with
- 👤 Solo late-night viewing for maximum unease
- ⚠️ Skip if you moderate content for work
Heads up
- Graphic violence in snuff film footage (extreme)
- Disturbing imagery throughout (frequent)
- Themes of online exploitation (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Daniel Goldhaber
- Cast
- Barbie Ferreira, Dacre Montgomery, Josie Totah, Charli xcx, Jermaine Fowler, Aaron Holliday, Jared Bankens
Official synopsis
A moderator on an internet video-sharing platform stumbles across a potential snuff film ring hidden in the
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Perfect Blue (1998)
Both explore digital voyeurism and the horrifying blur between reality and fiction.
