Until Dawn - Movie Review

Until Dawn sees a group being trapped in a sinister time loop in a remote valley by a masked killer who haunts their every move. They are sent back in time to relive that terrible night as they are murdered one by one. The movie weaves a compelling narrative, overlaying supernatural horror with psychological dread, but the frailty of the human resiliency to the increasingly heavy weightage of terror.| It questions the morality of decision making under duress and supernatural consequences of such actions. On the edge of fear and gripping psychological drama, the film’s tone flitters note by note between terror and being tense.

The actors in the film are powerful, such as Ella Rubin and Odessa A’zion, among others. The horror elements are done so well by David Sandberg, who also knows how to tell an intense story balanced with some of the best character portrayals for a humane element that adds depth to each of the characters. It is commendable that he could maintain suspense and explore the psychological side of film.

The music score goes very well with the dark ambiance of the film and enhances the tension, as well as the important moments in the film. On the one hand, cinematography is an aural metaphor for the deeper mystery and fear permeating every frame of the film, while on the other, it’s a way of having the audience fully immersed in the film’s intense atmosphere.

The fright beneath the storyline is drawn home through the stark contrast of the initial eerie wilderness to interior shots that felt claustrophobic.|The production design in this film was polished with meticulously created settings that show both the physical and psychological condition of the precipitated characters. The remote valley is given very well to the haunting beauty of the place, where there is such a participation of silence in the continuing terror, and the supernatural elements are convincingly brought to life with a blend of practical effects and CGI.

It adds to the narrative’s tension without crossing over into gratuitous.

The balance of non-linear storytelling with clear, well edited storytelling is perfect. So the time lines don’t feel disjointed, and the set doesn’t feel disjointed either. With the repeated encounters between the characters, the plot flows seamlessly for reasons: suspense naturally comes out of nowhere. The approach remains engaging in delivering the urgency of the characters desperate situation and the dialogues are sharp and purposeful to intensify the thrill aspect of the story. Until Dawn is riveting, but they fall into a few predictable genre tropes sometimes.

Besides offering fresh character dynamics and building off of psychological themes in their introductions, Until Dawn doesnt reveal too much too soon. Cliché, some character decisions might seem like there’s nothing fresh about them. Even so, these moments get lost in a movie that otherwise has such great narrative strength and ominous ambience.

‘Until Dawn’ has a tight grip from the first minute. The film deftly films an emotionally chilling and nerve-wracking journey that has you wanting to hang on to your heart and breath until the it’s over. The deliberate terror and resilience loop feeds in and connects with you and you think about how you, and how many, have no choice in the matter.