I'm a horror movie fan. Yet, like video game adaptations that are not "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "A Minecraft Movie," I've never played "Until Dawn." I wasn't even excited when its first trailer came out. It was an interesting premise of a group of people dying over and over again and then having to find a way to "survive the night." I couldn't get excited about it. I understood that while I may leave underwhelmed, not disappointed, other people will like it, and it may win over fans. If you enjoyed your time with this, I'm glad. Maybe you should read cautiously unless you leave with the opposite emotions. It's not terrible, but it's not exactly great, either.
That said, there is good to this film. As a horror and solely a horror without considering the plot, it's fun! It has jump scares, sure, and while they're nothing new, I jumped! Even weak jump scares make me jump. The kills are inconsistent, but one was extremely delightful! I won't spoil it, but wow! That sequence and its reappearance throughout the movie thoroughly entertained me.
Next, David F. Sandberg did a solid job with his directing. The use of its $15M budget is particularly of praise. The directing and money spent made this small setting feel bigger in execution. Also, I appreciate many creative shots thanks to the directing and Maxime Alexandre's killer cinematography.
The actors did well. In particular, Ella Rubin and Peter Stormare's performances as Clover and Hill made the most out of mediocre material. Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, and Belmont Cameli create a committed cast.
As mentioned, the premise is unique and single-handedly kept me engaged for the most part. It has issues, and while its utilization in the final product is meh, for lack of a better word, its narrative makes it stand out to an extent.
For the remaining positives, outside of that wild moment I mentioned, there were other memorable scenes, like the final act, and the film's only 1 hour and 43 minutes long.
Sadly, although its story is doing the heavy lifting for my enjoyment, I couldn't help but feel its creative reach could've gone further. Again, there are no spoilers, but they semi-rush through the nights. Only a select few are this film's primary focus.
I think that may be a symptom of a lacking screenplay. It's not without its moments, but Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman's work relied on cliches that I think I'm tired of. I'm okay with generic, and the slasher segment is fine. I'm not good with an excessive amount of dumb character decisions. It's hopefully just a me-thing, but seriously! It's not as bad as I'm making it to be, but still!
Speaking of characters, outside of Clover, luck did not favor her friends. They're serviceable, with nothing making them stand out. Yoo's Megan is the only other character to have something that makes her intriguing. The rest are there because.
Finally, although short, the drought of incredible developments led to below-subpar pacing. I never was bored or wanted to leave, but it felt tedious at multiple intervals.
Overall, "Until Dawn" proves that I sometimes take my horror movies too seriously and that a generic horror film can waste a strong premise. I don't hate it, and I hope you don't let my issues be yours. I hope that's the case, and I'm not denying the possibility that I'll see the movie for what it is upon rewatch. Nonetheless, my initial reaction was that it was semi-better, yet exactly what I expected.
Technically, the acting, directing, and cinematography are all appreciable, but the flaws with its screenplay make the technical score a 6/10.
The enjoyment score: writing this review made me realize that a 4/10 is harsh because, despite its flaws, it succeeded as a horror movie and a horror movie alone. Therefore, I'll put it over the edge because 5/10 seems just about right for the enjoyment score. If you're a fan of the games, you may like it, and if you can overlook its structural issues, you'll have fun! However, if you agree with this review, waiting until Netflix or Hulu may be the right choice.
That said, there is good to this film. As a horror and solely a horror without considering the plot, it's fun! It has jump scares, sure, and while they're nothing new, I jumped! Even weak jump scares make me jump. The kills are inconsistent, but one was extremely delightful! I won't spoil it, but wow! That sequence and its reappearance throughout the movie thoroughly entertained me.
Next, David F. Sandberg did a solid job with his directing. The use of its $15M budget is particularly of praise. The directing and money spent made this small setting feel bigger in execution. Also, I appreciate many creative shots thanks to the directing and Maxime Alexandre's killer cinematography.
The actors did well. In particular, Ella Rubin and Peter Stormare's performances as Clover and Hill made the most out of mediocre material. Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, and Belmont Cameli create a committed cast.
As mentioned, the premise is unique and single-handedly kept me engaged for the most part. It has issues, and while its utilization in the final product is meh, for lack of a better word, its narrative makes it stand out to an extent.
For the remaining positives, outside of that wild moment I mentioned, there were other memorable scenes, like the final act, and the film's only 1 hour and 43 minutes long.
Sadly, although its story is doing the heavy lifting for my enjoyment, I couldn't help but feel its creative reach could've gone further. Again, there are no spoilers, but they semi-rush through the nights. Only a select few are this film's primary focus.
I think that may be a symptom of a lacking screenplay. It's not without its moments, but Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman's work relied on cliches that I think I'm tired of. I'm okay with generic, and the slasher segment is fine. I'm not good with an excessive amount of dumb character decisions. It's hopefully just a me-thing, but seriously! It's not as bad as I'm making it to be, but still!
Speaking of characters, outside of Clover, luck did not favor her friends. They're serviceable, with nothing making them stand out. Yoo's Megan is the only other character to have something that makes her intriguing. The rest are there because.
Finally, although short, the drought of incredible developments led to below-subpar pacing. I never was bored or wanted to leave, but it felt tedious at multiple intervals.
Overall, "Until Dawn" proves that I sometimes take my horror movies too seriously and that a generic horror film can waste a strong premise. I don't hate it, and I hope you don't let my issues be yours. I hope that's the case, and I'm not denying the possibility that I'll see the movie for what it is upon rewatch. Nonetheless, my initial reaction was that it was semi-better, yet exactly what I expected.
Technically, the acting, directing, and cinematography are all appreciable, but the flaws with its screenplay make the technical score a 6/10.
The enjoyment score: writing this review made me realize that a 4/10 is harsh because, despite its flaws, it succeeded as a horror movie and a horror movie alone. Therefore, I'll put it over the edge because 5/10 seems just about right for the enjoyment score. If you're a fan of the games, you may like it, and if you can overlook its structural issues, you'll have fun! However, if you agree with this review, waiting until Netflix or Hulu may be the right choice.