Cyns-Corner

I didn't realize going into this that it was made by the director of The Raid movies. I enjoyed the first Raid film, but it was many years ago when I saw it. My enjoyment of it might not be the same today. I mostly watched this because of Tom Hardy, and it was pretty good in a lot of ways, but there were some things that held it back from a higher rating for me. The overzealous use of shaky cam video and the obnoxious amount of gunfire (you'll know what I mean when you see it! Lol) both annoyed and desensitized me to what was going on and detracted from what was, in many ways, a gripping story. This won't end up on my best of 2025 list, but it won't be on my worst either. I don't consider it a waste of my time. I just wish it could have been a less frustrating viewing experience. Video review will be available on my YouTube channel.

5.5/10 STARS - Until Dawn has an interesting premise. As a fan of repeating-day stories, I also like that this was centered around horror (one of my favorite genres). Based on the video game of the same name, there were at least two nods to the game that I noticed (not counting the actor Peter Stormare's presence). The film also differentiated itself from the game, offering something unique from the original source material. In a lot of ways this film had Silent Hill vibes for me (not necessarily a plus in by book). I'm not sure whether fans of the game will take to this movie, but as someone who is only peripherally aware of it, I went into it without any expectation about that as far as the source material. Though there were parts about this movie that I did enjoy, ultimately I didn't come away from it with a completely satisfied viewing experience. It was ... okay. Gory to the extreme - which isn't my favorite - and atmospheric, but it somehow felt lacking. Not to the point that I outright hated it or felt like it was a complete waste of my time, but on that "meh, it's all right" level. Which isn't necessarily what you hope for when taking time out of your day to visit the cinema. If you're a die-hard horror fan, you might enjoy it a bit, but go in with realistic expectations that it won't be the best horror movie ever. Or even close.

3.875/5.0 STARS - I had no idea about this movie until late last year when I was prepping my most anticipated list. I remember enjoying the heck out of the first movie, so I was pretty excited about a follow-up. Just got back from watching it and ... I liked it. But not quite as much as the first one. This sequel feels like it suffers a bit from the type of thing that many sequels suffer from: the unfortunate tendency for the writers to feel like going bigger and more bombastic in an attempt to surpass the one that came before will somehow lead to a better overall story/viewing experience. Sometimes that can be the case (like with Top Gun: Maverick and Terminator 2 for example). In this instance, I don't feel like it was. Don't get me wrong - it IS a decent film and I do recommend it if you enjoyed the first one. Expect much more action (fighting, shooting, killing) a more intricate plot, and much more interaction between the brothers. There's also quite a bit more humor as we see the challenging dynamic between the brothers played out in various humorous ways (it's a lot like a buddy comedy when this happens). We also see Chris's character making progress in the form of emotional connections with people, which is a huge step for someone with his challenges. There are also some touching moments when those challenges become even more apparent as he tries so hard to make those connections, but his brain is just wired differently, and it doesn't always go wall. There are some problems for me in the form of plot conveniences and many more instances of requested suspension of disbelief that snapped me out of some moments. The return of some of the cast from the first film was nice to see but a significant cast change for the character of Justine was disappointing. I also had a hard time buying that she and her special kids could truly pull off the things they pulled off with their computer magic. This ties back to the plot conveniences and suspension of disbelief I mentioned. If this film had actually been the first one I probably would have liked it less. But the fact that we've already been introduced to these characters, so we like and understand them already, helps give me a level of appreciation for it that bolsters my score. All in all it's a decent (though not superior) follow-up to the first. Video review available on my YouTube channel.