‘Faceless’ (2024) Netflix Movie Review - A Fugitive’s Elusive Journey

"Faceless" is an engrossing thriller that thrives on ambiguity. It presents a world where truth is a matter of perspective, and identity is as fluid as the stories people tell. The film follows Kaburagi, an 18-year-old who finds himself at the center of a murder investigation. With the law closing in on him, he makes the desperate choice to flee, setting off a cat-and-mouse chase across Japan. As he weaves through cities, mountains, and countryside, he encounters strangers who shape his journey in unexpected ways. Some offer him kindness, others suspect, and all leave with a different version of who they believe he is. Meanwhile, Detective Matanuki, relentless and methodical, pieces together these fragmented descriptions in pursuit of a fugitive who never looks the same twice.

The strength of the film lies in how it plays with perception. No two people seem to see Kaburagi in the same way, and as a result, the audience is left questioning who he truly is. Is he an innocent man running from injustice, or a manipulative liar playing the role that best suits him in the moment? The film refuses to give easy answers, making every interaction feel like another piece of an incomplete puzzle. Each new person he meets sees him through their own biases, and as the narrative unfolds, the lines between reality and assumption blur. This is a film that keeps slipping through the fingers, never allowing its audience to hold onto a single truth for too long.

Kaburagi is a fascinating character, and his portrayal is carefully layered. At times, he seems like a lost boy, barely understanding the weight of the situation he’s in. At other moments, he carries a quiet calculation, adapting his persona to fit the circumstances. Whether he’s genuinely innocent or simply playing a long game is left to interpretation, and that uncertainty is what makes him compelling. The detective on his trail, Matanuki, is the perfect counterpoint—unwavering, precise, and doggedly focused. His frustration grows with every misleading clue, but his determination never falters. The way the film moves between these two perspectives adds to the tension, making the chase feel like a psychological battle as much as a physical one.

Visually, the film is striking. The cinematography makes use of Japan’s varied landscapes to heighten the mood, shifting from neon-lit urban sprawl to isolated countryside with a sense of deliberate pacing. The contrast between crowded city streets, where Kaburagi can disappear in plain sight, and the vast emptiness of rural areas, where he has nowhere to hide, adds a deeper tension to his escape. The framing is meticulous, often placing Kaburagi at the edges of the frame or obscuring his face in reflections and shadows, reinforcing the theme of shifting identities.

The film's storytelling structure demands patience. It unfolds in a way that is more about mood and character than plot mechanics. There are moments where the pacing slows to a near standstill, allowing scenes to linger in a way that some might find immersive while others may find frustrating. The nonlinear nature of the storytelling, where different accounts of Kaburagi are presented like conflicting testimonies, keeps things unpredictable but also requires the audience to actively piece things together.

The film’s score plays a subtle but crucial role. Rather than dictating emotion, the music remains restrained, allowing silence and natural soundscapes to amplify tension. In key moments, the absence of a score speaks louder than any dramatic orchestration could, making the unease feel even more palpable.

That said, the film isn’t without flaws. Its ambiguity, while intriguing, sometimes stretches too thin. Certain subplots are introduced only to fade away without resolution, leaving the impression that some elements were more style than substance. The pacing, especially in the second half, can test patience, with stretches that feel more drawn out than necessary. While the shifting perspectives add to the film’s complexity, they also create occasional disconnection, making it hard to fully invest in some of the characters Kaburagi meets along the way. There are also moments where the detective’s investigation feels repetitive, with similar scenes of questioning and misleading descriptions that could have been streamlined.

Despite these shortcomings, "Faceless" remains an engrossing film that lingers in the mind. It doesn’t provide easy answers, and that’s precisely why it works. It explores how identity is shaped by those around us, how perception alters truth, and how someone can be both guilty and innocent depending on who is telling the story. It’s a film that invites discussion, rewarding those who engage with it rather than passively consuming it. For those who enjoy a thriller that leans more on psychological depth than action, "Faceless" offers a gripping, thought-provoking experience.

Final Score- [7/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times