“Up the road… There is a place, stuck in time,” said the eerie Dr. Hill. Until Dawn, directed by David F. Sandberg, came out in April 2025. This horror film’s original concept is set in the same universe as the game under the same title, released in 2015 by Supermassive Games.

The film follows its main character, Clover (Ella Rubin), on a journey to retrace her missing sister, Mel (Maia Mitchell),’s last trip before she went missing. When a sudden storm occurs, Clover and her friends find themselves in an eerie welcome center, where they become trapped within a time loop that repeats every time they die.

The film succeeds the most in its horror. The concept of the time loop is a bold departure from its source material, but the change is welcome due to its creative sequences and well-done effects. Sequences that are done in VHS or in character camera rolls build great tension and allow for the film to display its creative designs more frequently. The creatures that torment the main cast are particularly well done, with them being an almost unreal terror.

The acting of the film is very well done, with Ella Rubin’s performance of Clover convincing the audience of the character’s struggle with mental health and the world she’s trapped in. Peter Stormare portrays an evil therapist with a sadistic cheeriness that never fails to disturb the audience as he torments his victims.

Fans of the game will also have something to look out for, with the return of iconic creatures and masked maniacs in shots that are reminiscent of those from the game. There are plenty of easter eggs and storylines expanded upon in the movie for fans with a keen eye.

  Where the film falls short is in its dialogue and pacing; the film’s loops are inconsistent in their pacing, which makes sequences go on for longer than they should and causes the characters to reach the final act without needing to work for it as much as they should. In addition, the dialogue is disappointing in its redundancy. The film is R-rated, yet the writers make sure to hammer home the themes of the movie with no faith in the audience’s understanding of the concept. 

There’s something for everyone in “Until Dawn”, with its horror taking on a double meaning, beautiful framing, and well-acted sequences that make viewers cringe in terror.