"Until Dawn" is a mixed bag of horror tropes

After exploring the realm of superheroes, director David F. Sandberg returns to the horror genre with his fifth feature, Until Dawn, from Sony Pictures Releasing. The film's screenplay is written by Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler and is set in the same universe as the same-titled 2015 PlayStation game.

The film opens with a young woman experiencing an untimely demise. We then meet our core characters: Clover (Ella Rubin), her ex-boyfriend Max (Michael Cimino), her friends Nina (Odessa A'Zion) and Megan (J-Young Yoo), and Nina's boyfriend Abe (Belmont Cameli). They are retracing the steps of Clover's missing sister, Melanie (Maia Mitchell), who we later learn is the woman from the beginning.

Along the way, they encounter a mysterious gas station attendant (Peter Stormare) who directs them to a town where things quickly become eerie. After being hunted and brutally killed by a masked killer, the group awakens to find themselves trapped in a recurring nightmare—each reset introduces a new and more terrifying variation of the threat. As they try to survive the night, they learn that the gas station worker is Dr Hill, a psychologist with a mysterious connection to everything happening.

As gamers and movie enthusiasts know, video game adaptations can often be hit or miss. That said, while "Until Dawn" isn't necessarily a full-on adaptation of the game, it shows skill by managing its time loop storyline without overcomplicating things. Instead of complicating its story with elaborate explanations like many films, "Until Dawn" maintains simplicity to let tension and atmosphere dominate.

The film's innovative narrative structure presents a new grotesque version of the threat with each time loop, creating fresh horror and keeping viewers on edge. If Sony is wise, the 4K edition of the film should pay homage to the "Choose Their Fate" feature from the Final Destination 3 home market, which allowed viewers to make decisions at several points in the story. I'll also credit director David F. Sandberg for creating moody visuals and an eerie decaying setting in the abandoned visitor center, enhancing the film's oppressive atmosphere. 

Although I don't regret watching "Until Dawn," its primary flaw lies in its boring characters, which ultimately weaken its intelligent structural design. The ensemble cast remains underdeveloped despite the situation's incredibly high stakes. The characters often speak in ways that serve only basic purposes and rarely show depth or inspire empathy from the audience. As a result, the characters' deaths lack emotional impact since their chances of survival were already slim.

So, while Until Dawn delivers a strong concept through stylish execution, it falls short because audiences are more interested in witnessing character deaths than in their survival.

Final Grade: C+

Until Dawn is in theatres now