Until Dawn

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Initial responses to a sneak peek of the game “Until Dawn” last week praised it as the top horror production of the year. However, its rating on Rotten Tomatoes tells a different story, as the video game horror movie has launched with a “spoiled” score of 58% from critics on the review aggregator site. Led by David F. Sandberg in direction and scripted by Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler, “Until Dawn” is a live-action interpretation of the 2015 video game, with an original tale distinct from the lore crafted by Supermassive Games.

The movie adaptation of “Until Dawn” premieres on April 25, and according to Evan Valentine from Comicbook.com, it’s a disappointment because it doesn’t manage to establish its own identity or fit within the original game’s universe. Austen Goslin from Polygon agrees that it’s not a failure due to its deviation from the source material, but rather because it’s dull in comparison to the engaging nature of the game itself. Similarly, Julian Roman from MovieWeb found little merit in the film, stating that it will make you laugh, but unfortunately not for the intended reasons.

As a movie enthusiast, I must confess that this recent horror film seems to be relying heavily on overused genre clichés. The young adult characters, who should have been our heroes, instead find themselves unwittingly playing the role of cannon fodder, repeatedly putting themselves in harm’s way and becoming victims. It feels like a vicious cycle of death and destruction, reminiscent of the plot in Happy Death Day, where characters are compelled to live through the terror over and over until they find a way out – or face the grim prospect of becoming killers themselves.

In the thriller Until Dawn, we follow a group of friends including Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A’zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, and Peter Stormare. After the disappearance of Rubin’s sister, they venture into a secluded valley in search of answers, but instead, they encounter a series of gruesome murders. Strangely, they keep waking up again at the beginning, trapped in a repeating time loop. As they face various killers repeatedly, they come to understand that their only chance for escape is to outlive each night until dawn.

‘Until Dawn’ Unfortunately “Throws Plot Out the Window”

It’s important to mention that despite some negativity surrounding Until Dawn, Mary Kassel of Screen Rant argues that it effectively elevates the trope of time loops, creating a gripping and evolving environment filled with characters we can’t help but support. Similarly, Joonatan Itkonen from Toisto.net praises the game, suggesting it’s a stylish homage to the past, catering well to its audience.

Regrettably, the negative aspects seem to overshadow the positive ones for the game “Until Dawn”. According to Jacob Oller from AV Club, it’s a puzzling time loop story that changes erratically to pack as many cliches as it can. Lyvie Scott from Inverse remarks that it discards plot development in favor of gore and cheap thrills.

By employing a “time-loop” narrative device, David F. Sandberg is able to rapidly cycle through various common elements of teen horror movies within a span of just two hours.

As a movie buff, I’ve got to say that the weekend is still young for the Rotten Tomatoes score of “Until Dawn” to increase as more reviews from various sources roll in. At this point, it’s not shaping up to be the video game horror adaptation we were hoping for, given its $15 million budget. The big question now is whether it can recoup that investment and then some. We’ll just have to see how it stacks up against other new releases like “The Accountant 2” and current box office heavyweights such as “Sinners” and “A Minecraft Movie,” which I’ll be eagerly watching this weekend.

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2025-04-24 20:32