When a film begins with a warning about containing a “strobing effect,” there is no earthly way of knowing just what will be in store. Director Raymond Wood’s Faceless After Dark takes a meta approach to the home invasion subgenre. The presence of Terrifier‘s Jenna Kanell drew me to the project initially, armed with the knowledge that she not only stars as lead, but also co-wrote the script with Todd Jacobs. Kanell disappears into this role, electrifying the narrative with a razor-sharp feminine edge. For a story clearly inspired by the reality of horror actresses and crazed fanboys, Faceless After Dark does a surprisingly stellar job on a meager budget.
Bowie (Kanell) grows moderate popularity amongst genre fans for her role in a horror flick featuring a killer clown. Bowie struggles with maintaining relevancy and finding her next project. At a nearly-empty convention appearance, one fan asks what she has coming out soon. He urges her to “just stay positive.” That is certainly easier said than done, especially when Bowie realizes her convention fees are not on par with that of other horror actors. To make matters worse, Bowie’s girlfriend, Jessica (Danielle Lyn), suddenly gets a big break in a superhero flick, and must immediately leave for London. Now left entirely alone at her apartment, Bowie keeps going on auditions, trying to pen a script, and working out, but to what end?
Early on, Faceless After Dark makes some interesting commentary when it comes to haters on social media, or just those who request odd things of celebrities, such as feet pictures. The inundation of social media seems to swallow up Bowie to drown out all else. Once a stranger appears in Bowie’s living room, donning a clown mask, the movie takes a hard left turn into new territory. The clown is no longer simply an entity in a film she made; instead, the clown represents a physical manifestation of everything Bowie has been trying to overcome. Wood gives genre fans what they crave, include gory murders and chase scenes, but Bowie’s story keeps the lifeblood flowing through a disturbing endgame.
As in The Sound of Violence before it, a character whose passion for art becomes smothered by their art form lies at the center. What sets Faceless After Dark apart from similar movies is the personable approach to the material. Even when we cannot relate to Bowie’s questionable choices within the framework of her story, we can at least see a clear trajectory that leads her on the path she chooses to pursue. Fade outs are portrayed in deep reds, and tasteful gore accompanies some of its more macabre moments. In the end, Faceless After Dark fails to achieve anything we have not seen before in a different context, and potentially done better. Yet, the small scale nature has charm to spare, accompanied by fitting personal touches courtesy of Jenna Kanell. Presenting a unique spin on the horror final girl, this dark thriller cuts into the competition with a sharp pair of gardening shears.
Faceless After Dark screened at 2024’s Panic Fest.
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