Until Dawn (2025) - Review
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Directed by: David F. Sandberg
Written by: Gary Dauberman, Blair Butler
Starring: Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Maia Mitchell, Peter Stormare
Runtime: 103 min
Synopsis: One year after her sister Melanie (Maia Mitchell) mysteriously disappeared, Clover (Ella Rubin) and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one... only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening. Trapped in the valley, they're forced to relive the night again and again - only each time the killer threat is different, each more terrifying than the last. Hope dwindling, the group soon realizes they have a limited number of deaths left, and the only way to escape is to survive until dawn.
Editor's Note: Original review was written for FandomWire. Full article can be found below.
REVIEW SUMMARY
Until Dawn brings the original material to the big screen competently, especially shining in its technical aspects - mysterious atmosphere, grisly deaths, fast pacing, and an ability to keep the viewer engaged until the very end. Ella Rubin stands out in a cast that meets the bare minimum, and David F. Sandberg proves yet again that he's a filmmaker with vision, talent, and the creativity to craft visually captivating horror sequences. Nevertheless, the flawed screenplay, lack of emotional cohesion, and a rushed ending prevent the movie from reaching a more enduring level of enjoyment. It entertains effectively - but fleetingly.
