Photo by Julianne Gutierrez
Spoilers ahead!
The game “Until Dawn” came out about ten years ago, developing a cult fanbase. According to GameInformer, the choose-your-adventure game boomed in popularity in 2015, ranking No. 7 in the Top 10 best-selling games. Now the movie is met with mixed feelings.
When the movie was announced in January 2024, there were mixed reviews from fans. Speculation of whether the characters would stay the same also loomed. Once it was revealed the story would not reflect the game, fans raged with disappointment. Still, they were interested in seeing the film.
In the game Joshua, who is played by Rami Malek, has twin sisters Hannah and Beth.
The twins go missing at their lodge in the mountains after their friends play a mean prank on Hannah. This takes a toll on Joshua’s mental health. He blames himself and his friends for it and plans an elaborate prank to get back at them. However, the group encounters Wendigos during their stay.
In the game, two versions of physiatrist Dr. Hill, played by Peter Stormare, talks to the player. One is a hallucination by Josh, representative of his guilt and mental deterioration. The other is actually Dr. Hill, concerned for Josh’s health.
The “Until Dawn” film didn’t follow the plot of the game.
Instead, it’s a prequel of the game. It features a completely new set of characters, additional monsters and a different story. The film did, however, incorporate the logic of the game. There’s a range of choices to choose from, and the ending options are either dying or surviving.
The film is slightly reminiscent of “Happy Death Day” and “The Cabin in the Woods.”
In the film, Dr. Hill is an observer, watching the characters’ interactions, decision making and deaths from CCTV cameras. There is no hallucination side, but he often gives the characters maliciously intended hints.
Wendigos and The Psycho from the game, however are in the film.
The Psycho from the game is Josh under the mask, which is part of his revenge prank. In the film, the person behind the mask is unknown and kills characters repeatedly. The way the mask is depicted in the film trashes the reasoning from the game.
There were other monsters present in the film not included or well-known in the game. These included a witch, another masked figure, combusting water, a parasite in Clover’s face, a giant and many more.
The film featured a few Easter eggs for “Until Dawn” gamers.
The first was Dr. Hill when he first appeared at the gas station.
The butterfly necklace a character wore was another. It references the butterfly effect in the game.
The welcome center featuring a single gravesite with a cross was another. In the game, when the twins fall from the cliff, Beth dies and Hannah buries her, leaving a single cross.
Near the end of the film, Josh’s file is on Dr. Hill’s desk, making another connection to the game.
Lastly, at the end of the film, the CCTV monitors show a snow mountain and lodge, referencing the location of the game.
Bonus Easter egg: When Clover makes her way to Dr. Hill to hide from a wendigo—who is potentially Hannah—it screams next to her head and leaves. This is similar to the game scene where Sam, who is played by Hayden Panettiere, needs to stay still from the wendigo, Hannah.
During this, a “don’t move” prompt comes on-screen for the player to keep Sam still. The scene is tense as the wendigo approaches and screams right next to Sam’s head, just like in the film.
Overall, the movie is a four out of ten.
The different characters and storylines were not the issue. The way the film rewinds every time a character dies was the issue. It takes away from the game.
Also, Dr. Hill should have been kept as an easter egg and not part of the plot, since in the game he is only known by Josh.
Overall, the film failed. It needed to take some notes from great game-to-film adaptations such as “The Last of Us,” “Resident Evil,” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”
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