Film Review: Until Dawn

Screen Gems, PlayStation Productions and Vertigo Entertainment’s Until Dawn (dubbed; A) is a survival horror drama adapted from the 2015 video game of the same name. While set in the same universe, it unfolds as an original stand-alone story.

Story & Screenplay

One year after Melanie (Maia Mitchell) disappears mysteriously, her sister Clover (Ella Rubin) sets out with friends Max (Michael Cimino), Nina (Odessa A’zion), Megan (Ji-young Yoo) and Abel (Belmont Cameli) to the remote valley where it all began. Soon, the group finds itself hunted down, brutally murdered — only to awaken alive again at the start of their ordeal. Trapped in a horrifying time loop, they realise their only escape is to survive till dawn.

Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman’s story cleverly combines survival horror with a time-loop twist, giving it a unique edge compared to run-of-the-mill horror outings. The screenplay, penned by the duo, balances jump scares, atmospheric tension, and gruesome deaths with a mystery-driven progression. There are several genuinely chilling moments that will make audiences shriek and squirm. However, the time-loop structure, while innovative, may not be easily grasped by a large segment of the Hindi audience, especially in single-screen markets.

Dialogues are functional, with much of the impact carried through visual horror and atmospheric dread rather than spoken word.

Performances

• Ella Rubin delivers a strong and empathetic performance as Clover, carrying the emotional weight of the film.

• Michael Cimino is quite effective as Max, lending believability to his character.

• Odessa A’zion makes a strong impression as Nina, adding energy and grit.

• Ji-young Yoo ably portrays Megan with conviction.

• Belmont Cameli is fair as Abel, though less striking compared to others.

• Maia Mitchell supports the drama adequately as Melanie.

• Peter Stormare shines in a brief but memorable appearance as Hill.

Overall, performances are sincere and enhance the eerie setup.

Direction & Technical Aspects

David F. Sandberg’s direction is taut and engaging. Known for his horror sensibilities (Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation), he crafts set-pieces that keep audiences at the edge of their seats. The pacing ensures little downtime, and the looping narrative is handled with clarity, though some repetition is inevitable.

Benjamin Wallfisch’s background score is outstanding, amplifying tension and sustaining the horror atmosphere throughout. Maxime Alexandre’s cinematography captures the dark, misty valleys and claustrophobic interiors with finesse, making the visuals genuinely unsettling. Michel Aller’s editing is sharp, ensuring the narrative does not meander despite the inherent repetitiveness of a time-loop story.

The Hindi dubbing is of high quality, which maintains the flow and impact for domestic audiences.

Final Verdict

On the whole, Until Dawn is a well-mounted, chilling horror drama with some spine-tingling moments and a fresh narrative twist. However, its lack of face value in India, coupled with very weak promotion and low awareness, will heavily restrict its commercial prospects. While it has the potential to find appreciation among horror enthusiasts and multiplex classes, the film will remain largely unnoticed at the box office.

Box-office prognosis: 

The film may do some business in urban pockets and late-night shows, but poor publicity, limited star power, and dull opening collections indicate that it will struggle to realise its potential.