Until Dawn

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The popular PlayStation game, Until Dawn, has a comedic yet disappointing adaptation. This gory horror movie leans heavily on overused genre cliches as the unfortunate band of Gen Z characters seem to eagerly walk into their own demise. Reminiscent of the movie Happy Death Day, the storyline revolves around characters being forced to repeat a violent sequence of events until they manage to escape – or else face becoming killers themselves. The repetitive violence becomes tiresome, but the plot eventually reaches a climax that is predictable and fails to offer much surprise.

In my own words, here’s how I’d rephrase it:

As a fervent fan, I can’t help but feel my heart pound as I watch Melanie (Maia Mitchell), trapped in an agonizing predicament, desperately trying to escape a confined space. Her pleas for compassion echo through the air as a masked menace looms closer. Melanie expresses her reluctance to relive “it” again. A year on, her younger sister Clover (Ella Rubin), accompanied by a carload of bohemian pals, retraces the steps of the missing Melanie along a desolate rural road in the eerie Glore Valley. They eventually reach a convenience store where the shady attendant (Peter Stormare) claims familiarity with Melanie’s photograph.

Brainless Horror

I and my companions persist through a fierce storm, disregarding all instincts that urge us otherwise. We find ourselves at the Glore Valley Welcome Center, miraculously untouched by the torrential downpour. Nina (Odessa A’zion), however, spots a logbook with Melanie’s name scrawled numerous times. There’s also a room-dominating hourglass and a skull etched into its center. Meanwhile, I hear my sister’s voice and catch a blurry image in the distance. Ignoring everyone’s concerns, I set off alone as the sun sets ominously behind us.

Characters from Until Dawn are shown as irrationally reckless, making questionable decisions in dangerous situations, which are reminiscent of typical youthful mistakes for dramatic effect. For instance, they might hear a strange noise and instead of sticking together or seeking safety, they’d choose to split up and wander aimlessly in the dark with no apparent means of communication. This setup creates an intriguing atmosphere of suspense and dread.

The Gore Is Good but Not Creative

The mindless actions persist among the characters even after they experience their initial taste of gruesome slaughter. Only after multiple rounds of brutal carnage do they seem to understand – gasp! Perhaps we ought to stick together and strategize a survival plan. This realization comes slowly, allowing director David F. Sandberg (known for Annabelle: Creation and the Shazam! series) plenty of time to unleash his creative side with gruesome killings.

Bloodthirsty viewers will find much to enjoy in exploding intestines, bloody stumps, and bodies being twisted like pretzels made of flesh. Kudos to the special effects team for their savage realism. Those with sensitive stomachs might want to bring a barf bag along or avoid watching altogether.

In Until Dawn, despite numerous shocking moments, I found myself chuckling through sequences meant to be spine-tingling. The problem is, nothing is fresh or genuinely scary. When the music stops and the characters realize they’re face-to-face with danger, it all unfolds as predictably as clockwork. The zombies, axe-wielding maniacs, and supernatural monstrosities are all run-of-the-mill. They even threw in creepy clowns and dolls for good measure, covering every worn-out horror trope. Sandberg does acknowledge the oversaturation of content, but that doesn’t make up for the lack of genuine innovation. I was left yearning for a genuine shock and came away feeling let down.

‘Until Dawn’ Changes the Source Material

The main couples in this story are incredibly boring and their problems are discussed too much. One scene, in particular, is frustratingly unrealistic and seems designed to make viewers uncomfortable. It’s as if the filmmakers wanted to make us suffer, and they succeeded in dragging out the story with repetitive scenes that made it feel like an eternity. Despite having a runtime of only 103 minutes, Until Dawn feels much longer.

In a different phrasing, here’s how the sentence could read: It’s hard to comprehend how the movie-makers, given the exceptional game they had as a basis, chose to deviate from its narrative, disregarding what seemed like an engaging storyline with interactive elements and intricate “butterfly effect” choices. It is not necessarily wrong for adaptations to diverge from the original; in fact, it can be beneficial. However, in this case, it’s questionable whether they made the right call when comparing their final draft to the game and deciding that their version was superior.

Until Dawn, despite its flaws, manages to impress visually. The set design, camera work, and special effects in makeup and prosthetics are well-executed, showcasing Sandberg’s knack for creating striking visuals. However, the weak script and acting detract from the overall experience. Unfortunately, this might not please fans of the game. Until Dawn is a collaboration between Screen Gems, PlayStation Productions, Vertigo Entertainment, and others. It’s set to hit theaters on April 25th, distributed by Sony Pictures.

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2025-04-24 16:05