Disney’s former prince has traded his crown for a sword — and critics seem to like it. Jonah Hauer-King, the actor who broke out as Prince Eric in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, stars in The Face of Horror, a medieval horror tale that premiered at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. The movie has landed at 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a solid start for a film that has only 10 reviews so far.
A Knight’s Betrayal
The premise is simple and brutal. Hauer-King plays a knight who falls in love with a farmer’s daughter. When her father rejects his proposal, the knight murders the patriarch and ignites a revenge plot that turns into a vengeful ghost story. That’s a story about patriarchy told at its most blunt, and the movie leans into it.
Most critics praised the feminist undertones. Themes like patriarchy and toxic masculinity were addressed directly, and the colorful visuals were described as aesthetically pleasing. The medieval setting is complemented by impeccable set design and costumes, and Hauer-King and Kristine Froseth’s performances also drew high marks.
Slow Pacing, Worth It
Not everyone was sold. Some critics argued that The Face of Horror lacks a substantial narrative, and the slow pacing requires patience to reach the point of the story. Josh Bate’s review for ScreenRant warned about the slow pacing but admitted that the wait for the build-up was worth it. The final act, he wrote, “is arguably the most compelling part of the story.” The horror is a throwback to Hammer-style filmmaking, with colors that vibrate on screen.
The movie earned a strong 8 out of 10 stars, as Anna Biller’s pastiche pays off because “the execution of the stylization is so strong.”
The Source Material
The Face of Horror is based on the Japanese ghost story Yotsuya Kaidan, which was staged in 1825. There have been notable adaptations before, including 1959’s Ghost of Yotsuya and Toho’s Illusion of Blood. Biller’s version shifts the story into 14th-century England, which is a bold move.
Biller is no stranger to genre filmmaking. Her most notable movie is The Love Witch, which earned near-universal acclaim with 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. That film established her reputation for stylized, atmospheric horror.
A Split Among Critics
The reviews that have come in so far tend to split between the film’s strengths and its weaknesses. Most praise the feminist undertones, the visuals, and the performances, while some argue that the story lacks a strong narrative and the pacing requires patience.
The slow pacing is a repeated criticism, but it is also a repeated admission that the payoff is worth waiting for. The final act is the most compelling part of the story, and that is a strong statement from a film that has only 10 reviews.
The Reviews So Far
The film’s 70% score is a solid starting point. It is ahead of Hauer-King’s previous Disney outing, The Little Mermaid, which came in at 67%. This is his fourth-highest-rated movie.
The movie has a clear identity among critics. Most praise the feminist undertones, the visuals, and the performances, while some argue that the story lacks a strong narrative and the pacing requires patience. The split is a sign of a movie that is being taken seriously.
Key Facts
- Score so far: 70%
- Reviews so far: 10
- Existing reviews: 67% for The Little Mermaid
- Based on: Yotsuya Kaidan, staged 1825
- Japanese adaptations: Ghost of Yotsuya (1959), Illusion of Blood (Toho)
- Director: Anna Biller
- Starring: Jonah Hauer-King, Kristine Froseth, Ellie Bamber, Leo Suter, Bella Heathcote, Ben Radcliffe
The score is solid, the premise is dark, and the reviews are split but generally positive. This is a movie with a future, even if it is still finding its footing. A murder, a ghost, and a knight who cannot accept rejection — that is a premise worth following.
The Face of Horror is a medieval revenge tale with real teeth. The slow pacing is a risk, but the final act’s strength is the kind of payoff that critics keep returning to. At 70% with only 10 reviews, it is a score worth watching.
Source material: “Disney Star's New 201-Year-Old Medieval Horror Adaptation Earns Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Score,” Screen Rant.
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