Until Dawn (2025)

"Entertaining & Atmospheric For Much of its Runtime"

Following its recent run in UK cinemas, Sony are releasing director David F Sandberg's video game adaptation to rent or buy on digital platforms.

Five friends, including Clover (Ella Rubin from Sean Baker's ANORA) are searching for Clover's missing sister Melanie (Maia Mitchell). Taking advice from store owner-cum-harbinger Peter Stormare (clearly having a good time) they travel to the strange place that is Glore Valley. 

Entering the single house that's there (at least to begin with) they set in motion a huge egg timer and, when each of them meets a horrible demise, each finds themselves alive again and back where they started. As they pass through multiple cycles of being killed they begin to realise there may only be one way out and if they don't discover what that is, they'll be doomed to become the same as the creatures that are already trapped there.

UNTIL DAWN boasts a fine sense of atmosphere, some fun plot mechanics, and a cast of likeable characters. Extra buildings and locations are added to Grove Valley as the film (and the 'game') progresses and the way it's all shot will remind classic horror fans of John Moxey's 1959 CITY OF THE DEAD or even the ghoul village from Milton Subotsky's THE MONSTER CLUB (1980).

The film does run out of steam in its final act, and the 100 minute run time could have done with perhaps being trimmed by about 20 minutes. Still, it's well put together by a director already known for making some entertaining fare (SHAZAM!, ANNABELLE: CREATION) and apparently while it's not exactly faithful to its source there are plenty of nods to the game it's based on for fans to pick up along the way. Here's a trailer:

UNTIL DAWN is available to Buy or Rent on Digital from Tuesday 10th June 2025 courtesy of Sony Picture Entertainment