Plank Face is not a film about survival against monsters; it is a film about becoming one. By refusing clear moral binaries, it forces viewers to confront the fragility of the self. The film’s true horror lies not in the family’s brutality but in Nathan’s final, contented acceptance of it. In an era of discourse about trauma and resilience, Plank Face offers a bleak counterpoint: some wounds do not heal—they grow teeth.
85 minutes
Released following Schirmer’s cult hit Found (2012), Plank Face follows a man named Nathan (Nathan Barrett) who, after being kidnapped by a feral family living in the woods, undergoes a brutal psychological transformation. The film eschews jump scares for sustained dread, employing long takes and naturalistic gore. This paper will analyze three core elements: (1) the inversion of the “civilized vs. wild” binary, (2) the function of abjection as a bonding mechanism, and (3) the film’s critique of normative masculinity. plank face full movie
Plank Face is available to stream on various platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Google Play. You can also purchase the movie on DVD or Blu-ray if you prefer to own a physical copy. Plank Face is not a film about survival
The title refers to a makeshift torture device: a wooden plank with holes for eyes, used to immobilize Nathan’s head. Beyond its literal function, the “plank face” symbolizes the performative mask of civility. Early in the film, Nathan’s face is expressive, readable. As the family strips his language and autonomy, his face becomes plank-like—blank, accepting, inhuman. By the end, when he finally smiles, it is a predatory grin. The film thus posits that trauma does not simply damage the self but can reshape it into something unrecognizable. In an era of discourse about trauma and
Upon release, Plank Face polarized critics. Some dismissed it as “exploitation for its own sake” (FilmThreat, 2016), while others praised its formal control and psychological depth (Rue Morgue, 2017). In the decade since, it has gained a cult following among fans of “transgressive horror” or “weird cinema.” Its influence can be seen in later films like The Sadness (2021) and Where the Devil Roams (2023), which similarly blend extreme violence with lyrical character studies.
The film's plot revolves around a group of people who are trapped in a remote location, forced to endure a series of terrifying events. The story begins with a group of friends, including Anna (Laura Waddell), her boyfriend Eric (Kristian Bruun), and their friends, who embark on a journey to a secluded area. They soon find themselves facing a mysterious and sinister presence, which seems to be connected to an ancient, eerie figure known as "Plank Face."