Await the Dawn (2020) User Reviews

Not bad for what must have been a tiny budget

[Agent_Smoulder · 5/10 · 29 August 2021]

This is one of those proof of concept movies, this is pretty much Demon Knight but on a shoe string budget. The acting wasn't terrible and they did have some eye roll scenes here and there but the movie didn't feel like a cash grab or some kind of rip off. The little girl was cringe to me here and there but at least she seemed like she was having a good time and enjoyed the character she was playing.

The monster effects at the end were just Halloween mask level but not a bad Halloween mask.

Above average compared to most of the trash "monster" movies on streaming.

Sleepless (not in Seattle)

[kosmasp · 5/10 · 6 April 2023]

No pun intended - the movie may not be everyones taste. And I can see that some may not like the simple setup ... and the characters that have to act weird to say the least. Not logical for sure - also the changing characeristics ... and people not thinking of certain things to do ... when they lay there ... open to them.

Still there is suspense and there is quite the neat effects horror wise. The make up is quite good for the low budget this probably had. If you are able to suspend your disbelief ... there is some "fun" ahead for you. The ending almost breaks everything ... or takes everything apart. It feels like they weren't sure how to end it ... or did not have enough money to shoot anything else ... whatever the case, hopefully it won't ruin the viewing experience for you ...

A scaled back version of Demon Knight

[zhivago97 · 4/10 · 22 September 2021]

This movie is cheesy, the acting quality is mostly poor and the overall plot is dumb. Yet it's somehow still entertaining. But don't come with high expectations. The special effects are good and gory, and there is plenty of suspense while the characters make one dumb decision after another and then become all melodramatic over the consequences. In other words this is a typical, fun B-horror movie.

Many aspects of this movie overlap with Tales from the Crypt and Demon Knight, which is a great movie by the way. If you like that style, meaning the non-seriousness and campy gore, you probably will like this movie, as long as you adjust your expectations, because it's not nearly as good as Demon Knight.

Yes unbearable

[paradiddle16 · 1/10 · 15 February 2021]

I'm guessing the one defending the movie in the reviews is a friend of the filmmaker or somebody in the movie. 7/10 no way.

The fx are ok but the acting is just horrible which really ruins the movie. I'm not talking about Dee Wallace which is a seasoned actress but the rest is freaking horrible. Even Vernon Wells at the beginning when the dude shoots it's own head off. His reaction is just plain laughable.

And the plot? Well...

such a strong cast for such a bad movie

[kaefab · 2/10 · 5 May 2021]

Its really sad to see a strong cast of talented actors from then and now in such a bad movie.

Yes the movie is that bad.

From Beyond and Evil Dead 2 had a baby...

[ravencorinncarluk · 2/10 · 6 May 2021]

...and it was very unloved and abused and mistreated and cast off a cliff like a malformed Spartan baby.

This isn't a good movie. The acting is awful (though Dee Wallace did seem to take it serious, thus put in effort), which goes right in hand with the terrible script. The "interior" of the RV is such a bad set and obviously not the same as the vehicle in the exterior shots. Family melodrama keeps trying to take over from the horror and monsters, but in such a cliched trope of a melodrama. Every time one of the possessed/zombies/mind controlled popped up, I waited for them to say "Dead by dawn. We'll swallow you're soul."

Also, had no one involved in this movie ever seen a heroin addict? I'm sorry, "drug" addict...because being specific about substances would have involved knowing anything about anything.

I did like the creature and blood effects (in a B-flick way). There's even an extra star floating around for that, but you need to activate your pineal gland to see it. And I DID get a tiny smirk out of a monster flick having Drs. Cronen and Berg...because, Cronenberg, get it? Thankfully, the "writer"/"director" spared us the insult of actually pointing it out.

What we WEREN'T spared was the bludgeoning of a character named Howard Philips who worked for Miskatonic Labs. The movie was already based on From Beyond (movie or story, take your pick), so it would have been more appropriate to have him be Crawford Tillinghast. Then the people who know would know, and anyone else would just think it was a strange name in the modern era. But noooooooooooooooo.....couldn't let it slip past the viewers that this is a Lovecraftian horror. Just cram the old H. P. down everyone's throats and pretend you're clever.

And as bad as most of the movie was, the ending was three times as bad. It plodded along being a rip-off that even SyFy wouldn't produce, then took a sharp left turn into horrendous and stupid.

Watch this if you want to see how bad it truly is, but it really is better off never wasting your time. I don't think it could even be a good drinking game with the friends kinda movie.

Gore galore...But not much else!

[omendata · 4/10 · 8 May 2021]

Having said that if you take it tongue in cheek and just accept the fact it is a low budget horror movie then you will find it a passable Friday nights viewing with a few mates, a few beers and a few laughs as the story is as mad as the directors name.

I think the director should seriously consider shortening his name as it is quite pretentious; he even puts his name on one of the gravestones at the end of the movie, cmon for real? Maysonet? Macho? The name is almost as laughable as some of the acting.

The story is bizarre but the acting contrary to other the usual (1 or 10 star) reviewers who clearly don't know what good acting is as well as properly rating a movie on Imdb, is on the whole rather good with Dee Wallace stealing the show; she always puts in a top performance whatever role she takes on but does she really need the money that much to star in these low budgeters. Her acting is so much better than any of the other cast members she seems so much more out of place in this. It also features the magnificently over the top Vernon Wells who many may remember as the standout bad guy in the original Mad Max movie and although all the performances are adequate, Hannah Strasser who plays the demon from another dimension makes the entire film fall as flat as a pancake that has been steamrollered into oblivion as she just cannot act with a wooden and totally inappropriate performance.

To be fair the CGI and gore is quite well done but the film just seems to be designed around the gore and effects rather than having a flowing narrative but the one thing that makes the whole thing look silly is the interdimensional wormhole generator - It is actually an inverted Magic Devil food blender (I kid you not, I actually have one!) with some led lights flashing and modelling clay made me laugh until I literally soiled myself!

It is low budget so should be reviewed as such and to be fair it beats a lot of the utter guff I have seen recently on Netflix and if you go into it with a few beers or other brain dulling soporific, you might just find it a bit of a laugh, although I am not 100% sure this is what Pablo the magnificent...IV had in mind - who knows but its a slightly below average 4/10 on the hatchets scale for me!

What was Dee thinking??

[kbaxws · 3/10 · 11 September 2021]

The movie concept wasn't bad, but execution...the worst! I gave it a 3 for concept only.

The actors were terrible!! Directing was worse. Even Dee Wallace who I like. Her "oh no" scenes were just painful to watch!

I was going to quit the movie halfway thru but I didn't hoping the actors would redeem themselves. But when the father character goes to gently down close a dead man's eyes with a slow sweep of his hand...and the eyes are already closed...just par for the movie.

Not an overly impressive foray into the horror genre...

[paul_haakonsen · 4/10 · 6 May 2021]

So did writer and director Pablo Macho Maysonet IV just recently watch "From Dusk Till Dawn" when he was coming up with the concept idea for the 2020 horror movie "Await the Dawn"?

Not only was parts the plot rather similar to the parts of the plot in Tarrantino's "From Dusk Till Dawn", but even the movie's title was bearing a resemblance as well.

And it should be said that the 2020 movie "Await the Dawn" doesn't even manage to reach the 1996 movie to the knees. Nay, these two movie are in very two different leagues.

While "Await the Dawn" was watchable, it just wasn't an impressive movie; not in terms of story, plot or events in the movie. The movie was simply too mundane and slow paced, and it was also a bit too predictable. So that left very little for the audience to gorge upon - pardon the pun.

"Await the Dawn" does have a rather good ensemble of actors and actresses, with the likes of Dee Wallace, Bruce Davison and Vernon Wells as some of the more recognizable. But even with these on the last list, whereas Davidson and Wells were actually hardly in the movie, then "Await the Dawn" didn't really live up to what it could have been.

Sure, there were an abundance of opportunity and possibilities readily available within the grasp of the writer and director for "Await the Dawn", but sadly the movie never rose above mediocrity.

The special effects in the movie were, for the most parts, actually good enough. However, they weren't over-the-top impressive displays of CGI or practical effects. But the special effects team managed to do their jobs well enough, as the effects served their purposes. The creature, though, well that felt sort of anti-climatic when it was revealed.

Ultimately then "Await the Dawn" wasn't all that and a bowl of gore. Nay, the movie was watchable, but it is hardly an outstanding movie, nor is it a memorable addition to the horror franchise. My rating of "Await the Dawn" lands on a less than mediocre four out of ten stars.

A comedy in disguise

[108YearsOld · 2/10 · 15 May 2021]

OK, I get it, the acting and plots are meant to make people lol, no question about it. There is a plastic toy that looks like a candy dispenser from a garage sale, you can use it to fend off the demon, sweet.

Fun popcorn flick!

[Yourmothersbox · 10/10 · 19 June 2021]

Well I was thoroughly entertained. Its an indie film, so instead of focusing on what they couldn't pull off, I was pleasantly surprised at all the cool stuff they did. Good gore, ambitious story, great 80's feel, and for the most part, a great cast. I say for the most part because the biggest flaw for me was some of the acting but that comes hand and hand with indies. Dee Wallace and some new faces did fantastic, but there was a few moments that were as stiff and dry as a cardboard box *cough* step dad *cough*. Also the little girl monster attacks were really cool. I felt like I was watching an 80's Tom Atkins movie without the amazingness of Tom Atkins. Extra points for all the cool Lovecraft references. Overall I think it did the trick!

Dee Wallace was best in this film..

[loveoftita · 7/10 · 24 June 2021]

The concept of this film was ok. Had strong potential. Felt at times it was too slow kind of boring dialogue but understanding for fillers. Most of the actors need to take acting classes or some. The director of this film needs to focus on getting good quality actors such as Dee Wallace, Bruce Davidson which were there etc.. The little girl wasn't the best actress but the "creature" looked pretty cool. Atmosphere was really good with music and sound effects. That Steven father was the worst actor along with the daughter? Overall not that good but not that bad. Only gave it a fair good rating cause of Dee Wallace since I'm a fan and of course I support film artists and the director did somewhat pretty decent. I'm sure he will only get better here on after...hopefully! Check it out though!

My opinion these actors really really need acting classes..they brought the movie down with their over acting and bad posture etc:

Gregg Christie Caitlyn Fletcher Josh Server Jonathan Stoddard

Best Actors: Dee Wallace (of course) Bruce Davidson Courtney Gains Gabriel Stone Lovlee Carroll.

Comedy horror... maybe

[mlhare · 5/10 · 3 February 2022]

I didnt mind it. Just dont take it too seriously. Personally i find when they try to have kids be creepy/scary they never pull it off. I wish the creepy girl would have been older. Nothing personal against the child, she was cute , just couldnt pull it off. I'm pretty sure movie wanted to be a horror but couldnt quite get there. And dee how have you not aged? Girl you look amazing!

Certainly Was Expecting More.....

[wandernn1-81-683274 · 3/10 · 2 March 2022]

The gore was funny for the most part. There just wasn't enough story. And there certainly wasn't any good dialogue. Most of the movie was just cheese. Can't give it anymore than a 3/10.

Far better than expected.

[fchecke · 8/10 · 22 September 2021]

Far exceeds the garbage Hollywood has put out lately of a remake to the sequel of the reimaging of a same story from 30+ years ago but with updated cgi.

The movie is enjoyable if you go into it not expecting anything. The young actor that played the alien. Did an amazing job and probably would make Bruce Campbell proud.

Interesting scify horror movie.

[psychoticignorantdunghead · 7/10 · 8 September 2021]

Kept me pretty well glued to the TV screen. Scientist's daughter wreaks havoc and lust for terror is not entirely new, but with nice twists and well filmed.

If it's your type of horror (blood and guts} you are in for a treat.

Josh Server is still foine!!

[flyygirl888 · 10/10 · 3 August 2022]

After all these years. He's still hot! I'm really glad to see that he's still acting. That's it, That's all I wanted to say. No comments about the film. Lol.

Not Unbearable

[sucraf · 7/10 · 15 February 2021]

The other review person must have some personal beef with the director or someone involved in the movie. The acting was just fine or above average for a b movie. The gore was great. Yes, the story was kind of stupid, but it's a b horror movie. Do you expect an oscar movie? I've watched literately 1000's of horrors and this was pretty decent.

Not bad but not great

[KILERQUEEN · 6/10 · 7 June 2023]

First, let me just say that I love horror movies. Await the dawn had a very interesting concept. I did enjoy it, but not because of what was going on but because of the little girls acting. I believe everyone else is acting was horrible! But the little girl was amazing! She did such a great job! After the little girl, the mother was next. She also was really good. Not great but good. I would recommend this movie. It is a hit or miss. I do not believe this movie will be a waste of your time. I do not recommend this movie for little kids. One of the good things is that the movie is not too long. It's an hour and a half. Any longer I believe it would have gotten less stars.

Cute little girl.....

[okpilak · 6/10 · 17 December 2023]

I am not going to be as harsh as some in reviewing this movie. It has its faults, especially when people, knowing the very real threat, freeze when they need to do something. But that is also the fault of many horror movies, because if they did act, the movie might be over. It starts with a family taking their older daughter to rehab, as she is in day one of withdrawal and sick. A doctor goes with them in a big RV, to supervise her. It is a family affair, and what seems to be of a somewhat dysfunctional family. On the trip, they come across a very young and adorable little girl, Maggie, who seems hurt. And also a young man who worked in a laboratory which was exploring ways of communicating with the dead, which makes for an interesting plot point. Maggie is inhabited by a being that was brought from an alternate dimension by their work, and she is pure evil. So one has evil outside, and the family shows their conflicts inside the cramped quarters of the RV. The young man has a device that keeps her at bay, and as long as it functions, she cannot get to them. The creature inside Maggie cannot tolerate the light, so they have to survive until dawn but will they? If one has made it through the movie don't rush to cut it off as soon as the end credits start. I liked the theory of how the creature got into Maggie, and it is also the only time Bruce Davison is on screen, for a minute or two. It can be entertaining and at times infuriating.