My Review Of “Faces”

Tom Ryan's serial thriller "Faces" is a strong, intense indie that captures true emotion surrounding one of man's most terrifying personas- the serial killer. “Faces” stars Tom Ryan, Paul Gmitter, Edward X. Young, Deana Demko, Bradley Creanzo, Joe Parascand, Jason Greco, Caroline Pozycki, Andrew LaBruno and Michelle Rosado. The film follows a lonely man Frank, who with no friends, no job snaps when he encounters one Charlie Downey.

“Faces” takes a dark, emotional journey into the personal life of a serial killer with intense, dramatic story telling. Ryan frames a his horror story with a heartfelt approach that creates a personal connection to his protagonist/antagonist Frank Walker. The acting is above par for low budget indie cinema which allows for the story to captivate the audience. The characters are believable, well developed and intensely animated. The lead character/serial killer is both relatable and terrifying.

The special effects used in “Faces” is more classic, practical effects which make the scenes believable. The angles, camera shifts create a suggestive horror that I found more invoking than straight on gore-effect splatter. Although there are definite moments of splatter fest present in “Faces”. The blood and gore is crafted to be convincing, and they work. The creature effect/make-up used in the more dark humor elements of the film are a nice balance against the more intense, serious horror that “Faces” gives us.

The soundtrack and music score help to create a chilling atmosphere reminiscent of classic spaghetti thrillers of the late 70’s and early 80’s. The sounds combine with the character driven story to create a deeply emotive nightmare both entertaining, and thrilling. Overall “Faces” is a nice, well written and directed indie horror film worthy of watching. It is an impressive attempt by Tom Ryan to bring a more personable vision of the dark companion of humanity, the psychopath/serial killer, to the screen.