Summary
Considering how video game adaptations are having a bit of a moment right now, it’s a little surprising that more horror titles haven’t made their way to the screen.Until Dawnjoins the ranks of other survival horror adaptations likeSilent HillandResident Evil(though the latter eventually evolved into more over-the-top action movies), but it manages to stand out as a solid horror movie on its own, despite some plot convolutions.
Directed by David F. Sandberg (who most previously helmed bothShazam!movies) and written by Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler,Until Dawndoes something novel with its adaptation of a game. Rather than taking the story beat for beat from the console to the big screen, it instead focuses on the mechanics of the game, particularly decision-making and consequences. Sure, characters die, but just like being able to revert to a previous save, they just keep coming back to die all over again. It’s a fresh approach that sometimes results in shaky storytelling, but definitely delivers on a lot of fun, scary moments.
Until Dawnbegins with a group of friends embarking on a trip. The purpose of their trip is to look for the missing sister of Clover (Ella Rubin). After encountering a mysterious gas station attendant (played by Peter Stormare, who is the only cast member to also appear in the game), the group find their way to a house in the middle of the forest. Things are already creepy enough when the pouring rain cannot reach the property, but inside, the friends find a wall of ‘missing’ posters and an hourglass mounted on the wall. Once the sun sets, the hourglass begins counting down, and the horrors begin.
The early stages of storytelling inUntil Dawnmove efficiently enough, making sure that each of the friends in the group is given a fairly broad characterization (Max is Clover’s ex and still carries a torch for her, Nina is a serial dater, Megan is into spirituality, and Abe is a psych major). At first, it seems like the group is just the standard cannon fodder for a horror movie, and that Clover is very obviously set up as the final girl. However,Until Dawnuses its central time-loop conceitin a smart way, allowing each character to die multiple times and having them grow and change with each subsequent do-over. Stormare, who shows up in the story later, is clearly having a lot of fun in his reprised role, and as always, makes the perfect villain.
Until Dawnis a very loose adaptation of the game’s story, but it features a number of the same story elements throughout: a mine collapse, wendigos, and a mysterious doctor. With some of the added plot elements for the film, this can lead to something of a convoluted story. It’s not hard to keep track of what’s going on, but it sometimes feels like there are a few too many wheels spinning at once. On the other hand, the novel approach of using a time loop and having the characters die over and over again offers up plenty of chances for some truly great set pieces, many of which are achieved through old-school practical effects.
The horror ofUntil Dawnis masterfully handled by Sandberg, who hasn’t lost his touch after working in the superhero space (the firstShazam!moviedid feature some pretty terrifying creatures, after all). The sort of magic Sandberg brought to his originalLights Outshort and later toAnnabelle: Creationare all on display here. As he often shows on his ponysmasher YouTube channel, Sandberg is a director who clearly plans out every shot with meticulous detail. He knows what he wants to achieve, and for the most part, he gets it done. There are some really memorable deaths in this movie, and Sandberg clearly relishes shredding the characters at any opportunity.
What also works well inUntil Dawnis the blend of genres and influences running throughout the movie. There are sequences ripped straight from old-school slasher movies, supernatural horrors reminiscent ofEvil Dead, and even somegood old-fashioned body horrorthrown in for good measure. The blend of horror genres doesn’t quite stick around long enough, with the movie eventually focusing on its own subterranean horrors (though,as Dauberman told Game Rant, those sequences were inspired byThe Descent), but they do provide a refreshing approach to horror storytelling that has been sorely missing in the mainstream (one only needs to look atBlumhouse slop likeNight Swimto see how desperately the genre needs to be remixed). A late-in-the-game sequence inspired by found footage horror is particularly effective.
Eventually, the movie arrives at a climax that is perhaps more confusing than it needs to be, but provides a satisfying payoff. It’s clearly paying homage to the game, but for the casual viewer, it may go over their heads. Still, there is a lot of tension, excitement, and panic running through the third act, and that more than makes up for a sluggish and slightly perplexing denouement.
Until Dawnis not exactly a perfect horror movie, nor is it the best video game adaptation of the year (so farThe Last of Usseason 2has it beat, though it’s not an entirely fair comparison). However, it’s far better than what fans and casual viewers may expect, and it’s certainly a worthwhile watch for fans of the horror genre, if only to identify some of the influences running throughout. If anything, the movie never hits a point where it sags or slows down, and that fast pace goes a long way toward makingUntil Dawna worthwhile watch.
