Until Dawn

These reviews have me wondering how good the game is. As it seems, any reviewer who loved the game didn't enjoy this movie. Well I enjoyed it. But I haven't played the game, yet!

I'm not saying this is the scariest and best horror movie I've ever seen. The concept was really fun. The acting was pretty good. The reason the friends were there, a little silly but added an interesting dynamic.

I came into this movie with an open mind, and enjoyed it. I could watch it again, but I don't have to.

The kills are fun, the spook factors are a little hit and miss, and perhaps I would liked to have seen more different monsters come to life. But that's life and I can't say i disagree with the director on any decisions that were made. Sometimes you can't have it all.

The atmosphere of the movie is sort of typical isolation/cabin fever style with a ground hog day twist. In some ways it reminded of a good rogue like video game, every night is something sort of different.

I actually gave this movie a 6.5/10. I enjoyed it, I liked the story and acting. I also enjoyed not knowing what the threat was going to be next. It's a fun movie, and that's the point.

There's been a lot of hate for this one and I guess us Game Loyalists really wanted the same storyline. But I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. There are lots and lots of nods to the game the psychiatrist, the stalker mask, the butterfly necklace, the mines, the psych hospital , as well as the Groundhog Day, 12:01, Happy Death Day 2U - time plot. There are plenty of good original kills and plenty of original game content and the ending leads a nod to perhaps this was a prequel of what's still to come. There isn't a lot of great horror out there at the moment and I think Sony did and Ok job with this one. It's not great but it's worth a Friday Night Fright Night.

"Until Dawn" is a decent film, entertaining in some scenes and dull in others. Its script, based on the 2015 video game of the same name, is interesting, but as I mentioned, it has its ups and downs. It combines, in a less than successful way, several horror subgenres such as slasher, gore, found footage, and even includes a witch, zombies, and a mad scientist. The cast performs well, with Ella Rubin and Michael Cimino standing out. The director's work could have been better, but he manages to maintain a decent level in his film. The cinematography achieves an oppressive atmosphere reminiscent at times of horror films from the mid-2000s and early 2010s. The special effects have a mixed result, ranging from positive in makeup effects to negative in digital effects. The editing is good without standing out in any novel way. "Until Dawn" is a decent film with no further pretensions.

My quick rating - 6.5/10. Until Dawn isn't a shot-for-shot retelling of the excellent video game (I recently finished the remake), and that's probably for the best. This new adaptation, directed by David F. Sandberg, takes some liberties with the source material but manages to spin it into something uniquely brutal, atmospheric, and surprisingly thoughtful in its own way. It's far from flawless, but there's enough here to enjoy, especially for those who appreciate horror with a bloody edge and an experimental twist.

Set one year after the mysterious disappearance of her sister Melanie, Clover (Ella Rubin) and a group of not-so-close "friends" venture into a remote valley seeking answers. Their journey leads them to an abandoned visitor center where things quickly unravel. They're stalked by a masked killer, violently picked off one by one... only to wake up right back at the start of the same evening. Yes, the film dips into Groundhog Day horror territory, but to its credit, it doesn't just replay the same events each time. The variations and the psychological descent the characters experience are what keep it engaging.

Right from the opening moments, it's clear this group can't stand each other. That actually works in the movie's favor-when the deaths start piling up, you're not heartbroken, but you are entertained. There's a certain twisted glee in watching a dysfunctional group try (and fail) to survive night after night. It's not about warm friendships but survival instinct and fraying sanity. And that change in dynamic suits the grim tone Until Dawn is going for.

Fans of the original game might be put off by the lack of snowy mountaintops and the absence of key early-game story elements, especially the prank setup involving Josh. That was a memorable, defining twist in the game, and here it's glossed over with only a subtle nod. But that's where some understanding is required: the game was a multi-path experience with endless outcomes, while the film is confined to a singular narrative arc. Expecting it to be identical is misguided. It's a different medium, and this story chooses to focus more on fear manipulation and looping trauma.

There are still ties to the original, and one in particular at the end could suggest a direction for a sequel. No spoilers, but it's enough of a breadcrumb to keep fans intrigued. Sandberg smartly builds on the idea of horror as a psychological experiment, twisting the characters through repeating dread and escalating violence.

The kills are vicious, the gore is top-notch, and there's genuine creativity in how each death is executed. It's not just slasher fodder; there's some imagination at play. Ella Rubin gives a standout performance as Clover, especially in her more... unhinged moments. Without giving too much away, let's just say she makes "possessed and terrifying" work in a way that's both unsettling and captivating.

All in all, Until Dawn is a solid adaptation-not perfect, but a bold and bloody interpretation that pays homage without being enslaved by the source. Fans willing to accept it on its own terms will find a lot to like. Here's hoping this is just the beginning.

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I don't see why a lot of people are hating on this. It was a new take on the beloved video game. One thing I didn't like tho was I didn't really care for the characters at all. Most did a good job acting. Max was just terrible and his one liners made me cringe almost every time. Nina was actually pretty good giving the most main character energy. With that being said, Clover was kinda mid and forgettable for being the main main character. BUT. With how the deaths were orchestrated and conducted, really made this movie super good! I actually liked that they changed it up from the video game, because I played the game like 4 times. So here's my conclusion. If you're looking for a carbon copy of the game, then this movie isn't for you . If you loved the game and ready for a movie with new twists based on the game. Then go grab your tickets and popcorn!