Minutes into the medieval intro of “The Faceless Lady,” a fair maiden rips off her face. You immediately feel a bit nauseated. But did the violence trigger that reaction — or is it the fact that the action seems to be happening somewhere deep in your visual cortex?
“The Faceless Lady,” a collaboration between meta and producer Eli Roth, is billed as “the first known scripted original VR live action, stereoscopic (3D) series ever produced of its size.” Although it’s designed for the meta’s Quest headset, the story and scope seem wide enough to exist out of the headset. It’s a complete package that could bring fresh eyes to next-gen storytelling.
The six-episode undertaking, written by Jerome Velinsky and directed by John William Ross, is an escape room spin on ghostly lore. Three twentysomething couples head to the mysterious Kilolc Castle in Ireland to play deadly games for a shady owner (Ned Dennehy) as dark secrets are soon revealed about the property.
Unlike schlocky horror films embracing gimmicky technology — such as the notoriously low-rent 3D of “Friday the 13th Part III” —“The Faceless Lady” doesn’t throw things at the screen to titillate. In fact, the series takes its time to gradually acclimates audiences to the texture of the show.
The transition can be a shock. The pilot opens with a knight-filled prequel teasing the genesis of the castle’s dark lore, and it evokes an up-close version of high frame rate films. Used by directors like Peter Jackson in his “Hobbit” films and Ang Lee in “Gemini Man” and “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” these big screen experiments gave the work a “realer than real” quality, which is replicated here.
While easier to get used to than the soap-opera-esque visuals of its feature film counterparts, “The Faceless Lady” takes several scenes to adjust to watching in VR. Missing the dreaminess that comes with traditionally lower frame rate movies, costumes and sets look so real that it hits an uncanny valley. The brain is flooded with information as the VR aims to mimic how people see their entertainment, making the user feel they’re living in the world.
It’s a delicate balance to mix VR reality with scripted material, but after an eye adjustment period, the results are visceral enough to inspire gasps. The opening evokes a Renaissance fair come to life, and when a jarring act of violence leaves a woman’s face literally ripped off, it’s embedded into the eyeline in a way that’s difficult to shake.
Yet “The Faceless Lady” is so thoughtfully shot that it demands immersion. The details matter: During one lush outdoor scene, rain, birds and insects add some nice texture to the screen. A quick-moving ghost in the background of one shot begs for a rewind. The texture on a blanket during one scene, while it would be invisible in a 2D narrative, stays seared to the mind throughout.
From there, the leads are introduced as a mostly interchangeable group of bickering couples who don’t trust each other as they jockey to win the games and ultimately, the castle. Irish actor Tara Lee leads the group with a naturalistic performance able to cut through the artifice, vulnerable and curious in equal measures.
With the conventional plot unraveling at the beginning of the story —the couples arrive and meet each other, the game is explained, and folks poke around the spooky estate —it acts as an opportunity for the audience to get adjusted to the large field of vision. Billed as a 180° project, there is something to look at in every direction a neck could be comfortably craned (although the lion’s share of the action takes place dead center, head straight on). It’s an impressive feat to examine the sharp production design during downbeat moments, listening to the dialogue while craning upwards to check out a dusty staircase, and side-to-side searching for clues.
The only downside to the expanded canvas is that it allows for attention to wander to the point where several scenes merit rewinding, as musical stings signal important moments in case attention is diverted. Additionally, the combination of the high frame rate feel coupled with this sweeping field of vision accounts for some strange moments of subconsciousness, where an oddly-shaped book in the background or a unique manicure could divert attention for minutes. Since the audience is effectively participating in this story, small disruptions in reality can be as disarming as the scariest ghosts.
Perhaps it’s this outer-worldly reality, but beyond the conventional frights, new terrors are unlocked via the medium. The biggest jump scare of Episode 2 shouldn’t be shocking: The camera is focused on a computer playing a video, and someone passes in front of the monitor suddenly while crossing the room. Without musical accompaniment or fanfare, this moment is so jarring that it leaves traditional jolts in the dust. Later on, the sinister vibe is ramped up when a frightened character looks dead into the headset at something behind the viewer, which is not visible. The feeling of being prone, standing in front of something scary, is a jarring use of a fourth wall break that would only be possible to get goosebumps in VR.
As with any new tech, it’s fascinating to think about how to enhance this type of storytelling even more. Like any horror sequel worth its salt, could “The Faceless Lady 2” up the stakes by getting interactive in certain scenes? Mix the tech so the audience has to walk around the castle, find the missing keys and throw axes alongside our protagonists. Additionally, It’s impossible not to think of Netflix’s interactive programming, which could incorporate a choose-your-own-adventure type path to the proceedings.
Yet this work succeeds as a thrilling and ambitious blueprint for what might be an essential way to experience horror storytelling. With the right blend of story, scares and impressive camerawork, “The Faceless Lady” is the perfect gateway for entertainment fans who want a taste of the future.
“The Faceless Lady” is set to debut its first two episodes today at 5 p.m. PT, with the remaining chapters debuting every Thursday, at meta Horizon World. Watch the trailer below.
