Faceless (2021) Review

Often the most unnerving horror is based in reality, and director Marcel Sarmiento capitalises on this with body horror mystery ‘Faceless’.

After a violent incident, George (Brendan Sexton III) wakes to find himself in recovering from the trauma in hospital, having been recipient of a full face transplant. His initial confusion is compounded as he does not recognise the man staring back at him in his reflection. And this unfamiliarity goes beyond the physical, as George sets out to piece his life together whilst having no sense of self.

In what is implied to be the after effects of the trauma experienced, George is unable to recollect his past life and displays symptoms commonly seen in PTSD. Revisiting his old haunts, he tries to familiarise himself with his elusive past life. His acquaintances don’t know how to act, furtively glancing away from his deformed visage, and try as he may the disconnect between him and his old life grows.

Whilst elements of Faceless feel quite low budget, the majority of the FX feels quite realistic but isn’t overdone for shock value. Whilst the film doesn’t focus too heavily on George’s mental state, there are some poignant moments that speak to coming to terms with the after effects of such significant surgery. Lamenting his apparent lost beauty, George tries to find himself in a world so focused on image. A difficult situation made all the more so by his constant hallucinations and nightmares, giving nod to his unsavoury past.

In contrast to some of the more touching moments, there are parts of Faceless that feel a little crass. The dialogue can be clunky at times, with the support group scenes in particular feeling quite stiff and predictable.

Overall, the pacing of Faceless is fairly slow. As events gain traction in the final third, it feels too little too late. With negligible stakes, the revelations fall a little flat in what should have been quite a finale.

There is a lot to like with Faceless, but though the compelling story is beyond what George’s sees on the outside, the film itself doesn’t connect with what’s inside as well as it could.

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