Until Dawn Movie Review – THEY COOKED IT

As you can tell by the title, the Until Dawn movie is just not good. From the moment I saw the announcements trailer to the end credits, I had so many question marks shooting out of my head like a confused Pikachu, especially about the point of this film’s existence.

Not Quite Right

While it does feature a couple of neat visual references and crossovers with the game, the death-looping storyline and underdeveloped cast of characters aren’t really enticing enough to give it a watch.

The intro setup is not bad, and the production and kill scenes are top-notch, with a heavy emphasis on prime practical effects. However, it all too quickly begins machine-gunning through as many horror tropes as humanly possible. And while the atmosphere is tense throughout, there isn’t much rhyme or reason put into the horror.

Not to say that the original didn’t crank out clichés like hotcakes, but this is on a whole other level. I mean, it got to the point where I was thinking, “I might as well visit a haunted house instead”. At least I won’t have to pay attention to this lousy plot.

Just Play The Original

Speaking of, there were a few too many “what the flying fox?” scenes where I couldn’t help but facepalm both cheeks at the same time. Oh, man. This movie loves to dial up the whacko meter whenever it feels like it, that’s for sure. But at least we didn’t have to deal with any random chicken nonsense. Faith in humanity restored!

In all seriousness though, the original game’s longer 6-7 hour runtime was much better at fleshing out these characters. And even though it wasn’t the best story ever made, it still had a strong air of intrigue and suspense that made you want to peeky-peek around the corner. Not exactly the case here.

That being said, the new bunch of characters tried their absolute darnedest to keep things somewhat believable. The acting is pretty solid across the board, and there were a handful of genuinely laugh-out-loud scenes. But sadly, none of the original cast returned besides Peter Stormare, whose voice and mannerisms had me glued to the screen like nothing else in this movie. His creepy, looming presence is something that’s not easy to replicate. The guy’s just awesome. What can I say?

Decision

For a film that seemed to be taking the mickey out of the 2015 cult classic, the Until Dawn movie has fallen short in several key areas. While it does maintain a consistently tense atmosphere, quality production design and impactful kill scenes, it’s lacking character development and weak story substance detract from what could’ve been a great rendition of the game. If you’re looking for a lightning-fast thrill ride with gory, practical effects and plenty of jump scares, then this might be worth checking out. Although, fans of the original or those looking for something to push the horror genre forward will be sorely disappointed.

By Anthony Culinas

Average

The Until Dawn movie struggles to justify its existence, failing to live up to the eerie charm of the original game. Despite a few visual callbacks and impressive practical effects, it’s weighed down by a messy death-loop plot, underdeveloped characters and a barrage of trope overload.

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