Until Dawn

Until Dawn is loosely based on a 2015 survival video game. I say loosely as it doesn't follow the game at all.

The mixing of various horror sub-genres from slasher to ghost story to zombies to witchcraft, is an exciting attempt of keeping the audience glued to their seats for the next unexpected way to die for our fateful five protagonists.

The movie Cabin in the Woods come to mind as it resembles it somewhat with all the events monitored by an overlord.

This movie has three to four good jump scares and is not for the faint of heart for sure. Its basically ""Groundhog day"" with a bucket load of blood and gore!

Overall, a bloody good time if you prefer to turn your brains off. However Spontaneous Combustion had me rolling with laughter.

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.

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.

Of course I opted to watch the 2025 horror movie "Until Dawn", as it was a horror movie that I hadn't already seen. And I am a sucker for all things horror, after all. I was familiar with there was a game named "Until Dawn", but since I have never played it, then I don't know how much this movie was based on the game or how loosely it was adapted from the game. Not that it really mattered, as I have no expectations from the game.

The narrative was so insanely random. I mean, random stuff just kept happening without warning. But I loved it, especially because it was over-the-top bloody and gory. And I am a gorehound after all. The storyline, I have to say, was a chaotic mess, if there ever was one. Writers Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler put together a rather strange and very random script and narrative for the movie. But if it wasn't for the constant out-of-nowhere gore and jump scares, then the movie wouldn't have been a particularly enjoyable one.

Ji-young Yoo and Peter Stormare were the only two familiar faces on the cast list. The acting performances in "Until Dawn" were good.

The effects in "Until Dawn" are surprisingly good, and definitely help carry the movie quite a long way. There is a lot of blood, gore and exploding bodies. It was glorious fun, and it added a lot of enjoyment to the movie, as the narrative was a bit weak and far stretched.

Despite all the gory fun and mayhem that took place throughout the course of the 103 minutes that the movie ran for, "Until Dawn" hardly has enough contents to support more than a single viewing. The storyline was too watered down to support a second viewing, and the effects only take the movie so far. But I am not saying that "Until Dawn" is a bad movie, not at all, because I most certainly was entertained, but it just doesn't strike me as a movie that will make a second run.

If you are looking for a gory horror movie that requires absolutely no participation from your brain, and you can just lean back and enjoy the splatter, then you are in for a treat, should you opt to watch "Until Dawn".

My rating of director David F. Sandberg's 2025 movie "Until Dawn" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Going into this film, I had the unique advantage of being completely unfamiliar with the game it was based on. I hadn't seen trailers, read fan theories, or followed any of the development buzz. My expectations weren't colored by nostalgia or comparisons to the source material. All I had was an open mind - and I came away thoroughly impressed.

Let me start by addressing the elephant in the room. If you've read online reviews or listened to fans of the original game, you've probably heard a lot of criticism. Many longtime players felt the film didn't live up to the standard they expected or deviated too much from the game's lore, mechanics, or tone. While I respect that perspective, I think it's crucial to acknowledge a simple truth: not every adaptation is made solely for the original fanbase. Sometimes, they're designed to welcome newcomers, and this film does that exceptionally well.

From the very beginning, the film pulled me into its world. The atmosphere was rich, immersive, and clearly crafted with care. Visually, it's stunning - full of detail and texture that hint at a deep lore without overwhelming you with exposition. The direction balances action, suspense, and character development in a way that's accessible for viewers like me who don't know the backstory. It's entertaining, engaging, and - most importantly - it stands on its own.

One of the film's biggest strengths is its pacing. It doesn't rely too heavily on prior knowledge, nor does it try to cram in every bit of lore from the game. Instead, it focuses on telling a solid, coherent story with compelling characters and emotional weight. The performances are grounded and believable, especially from the lead, who brings just the right amount of vulnerability and grit. Whether or not you know who this character is "supposed" to be, you'll care about their journey.

The action sequences deserve a special mention. They're well-choreographed, intense, and refreshingly devoid of the kind of overdone CGI that often plagues video game adaptations. There's a tactile quality to the combat and set pieces that gives the film a sense of realism and stakes. You feel the tension, the danger, and the thrill - all without needing to press a button or dodge an enemy yourself.

What really surprised me, though, was how emotionally resonant the film turned out to be. There are moments of quiet introspection, subtle character dynamics, and even a few scenes that hit surprisingly hard. It's clear that the filmmakers wanted to do more than just appeal to fans of the game - they aimed to tell a human story that anyone could connect with. And they succeeded.

Of course, no adaptation is perfect. I'm sure if I were a devoted fan of the original game, I might have noticed choices or changes that felt off. But coming into this with fresh eyes, I didn't see anything that detracted from the experience. If anything, it made me curious about the game and its world - and isn't that part of what an adaptation should do?

In the end, I think it's important not to let negative fan reviews dictate your expectations. This film might not be exactly what longtime players wanted, but for those of us coming in blind, it's a fantastic ride. It stands strong on its own merits and offers an exciting, emotional, and visually rich experience.

So here's my advice: don't listen to the noise. If you're new to the concept like I was, give it a shot. You might just find yourself loving it - just like I did.