'Until Dawn' review: Video game adaptation caught in an endless loop of mediocrity

Courtesy of Sony

---

Nobody will claim David F. Sandberg’s adaptation of the 2015 PlayStation game “Until Dawn” is completely devoid of creative flair. However, the final product will likely send devoted fans rushing home to replay the original game, hoping to cleanse their memory of a movie that feels trapped in a strange loop, somehow going nowhere and everywhere at once. Sandberg, a skilled filmmaker known for horror gems like “Lights Out” and the surprisingly effective “Annabelle: Creation,” seems unable to tap into the nostalgia that is so deeply rooted in the game’s identity. The film strays so far from the source material that it’s puzzling why it is even called “Until Dawn” in the first place.

Written by Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler, the film relies heavily on Easter eggs from the game to hold things together. It abandons the snowy, remote cabin setting where a group of teenagers (motion-captured by actors like Hayden Panettiere and future Oscar winner Rami Malek!) were hunted by a mysterious killer. In the game, player choices carried real consequences. Every decision mattered, and one wrong move could permanently eliminate a character. That tension and sense of high stakes is completely missing in the film version.

Instead, we’re introduced to Clover (Ella Rubin), a young woman on a road trip with her friends as they search for her missing sister, Melanie (Maia Mitchell). Along with Clover are Max (Michael Cimino), Megan (Ji-young Yoo), Abe (Belmont Cameli), and Nina (Odessa A’Zion). Melanie has left behind a trail of clues that lead them to a mysterious mansion in a place called Glore Valley. It quickly becomes evident that supernatural forces are at work. The characters are killed repeatedly in a time loop reminiscent of “Groundhog Day,” meeting their ends through demonic creatures, masked killers, witches, and even spontaneous combustion. The only way to escape is to, obviously, survive until dawn.

To its credit, the film features energetic and gruesome death scenes, enhanced by impressive practical effects. Sandberg’s signature flair for horror chaos is evident, and the movie wastes no time throwing viewers into the mayhem. It carries strong “The Cabin in the Woods” energy, though the filmmakers never fully commit to the concept. As a result, the repeated deaths lack emotional impact. The characters are barely sketched out, giving the audience little reason to care. They function more as disposable pieces in a horror obstacle course than as real people, and the repetition grows tiresome quickly.

It is hard to understand why Sandberg didn’t pursue a more grounded, traditional horror story that reflected the spirit of the game. By removing the game’s defining elements, the film feels more like a simulation running on autopilot than an immersive experience. There are a few enjoyable nods for dedicated fans, including a reference to the mineshaft and the use of the iconic hourglass as a plot device. The return of Peter Stormare as Dr. Hill is also a nice touch. Still, the movie eventually collapses under the weight of its own convoluted timeline and narrative twists.

If the filmmakers are planning a sequel, as the closing moments suggest, they need to go back to the drawing board. In other words, hit the reset button.

Grade: C- 

UNTIL DAWN is now playing in theaters.