Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
Video game adaptations are coming in hot! This time, a horror game gets the nod. “Until Dawn” follows a similar premise to the game while taking some creative liberties. A group of friends go searching for a missing sibling, only to get caught in a terrifying time loop. They must survive the night to break the loop, being chased by unimaginable monsters. Each time they are killed, they have to restart the night. The catch: each time they die their bodies begin to change, slowly becoming a part of the hellish world they’re stuck in. Can the group work together and survive the night? Or will they get caught in this time loop forever?
Positives:
I had no expectations going into this one. I never played the game and have no knowledge of the source material. That being said, “Until Dawn” is a fun Friday night excursion. The movie features some nice nods to the gameplay while making the story palatable for non-gamers. The plot wastes no time getting started, introducing us quickly to the characters and throwing them into the mayhem. What follows is a nightmarish situation that is extremely difficult to survive. I really enjoyed the array of creepy characters the group encounters. This plays into the gnarly deaths they experience throughout the story. Credit to the special effects team for crafting such elaborate and gory kill sequences. Horror fans will enjoy the creepy aesthetic and claustrophobic atmosphere that these characters endure. The design of the different monsters is also impressive, feeling uniquely scary in each attempt to survive. Jump scares are also prominent throughout the story, a handful of which startled me quite effectively. This was a nice way to get audiences familiar with the source material while being unique in its own right.
Negatives:
The target demographic for “Until Dawn” might be its largest obstacle to overcome. It has the video game fans that will likely come to see it. Since it’s so intense and gory, the younger horror demographic may stay away from this one. That being said, there are plenty of exciting jump scares that play well with a crowd, so maybe the younger audiences will turn out. The story is also pretty disposable. It’s simple enough to work for the premise but I had almost forgotten about it after the film ended. The gore and jump scares are the main draw. Characters are also forgettable. None of them stand out in a distinguishable way, so seeing them get mutilated by the monsters is more entertaining than their personal involvement in the story. Nothing here is new, so “Until Dawn” gives audiences a run of the mill story that entertains during the runtime…but doesn’t leave a huge impression otherwise.
Conclusion:
“Until Dawn” is a predictable Friday night thrills movie that is a good excuse to get out to the theater. The loud jump scares and gnarly kills will be enough to impress the gore hounds. Those looking for a thoughtful, elevated horror experience won’t find it here. This is a fun, mindless video game adaptation that has a fair amount of fun but less memorability. Enjoyable with a group but the rewatch value might not play so well.
