A
group of college students travel to Mexico on spring break and do what seems to be a harmless game of truth or dare only to realise that something forces them to do this at other times which causes them their lives if they don't come through.
The beginning really delivers when a strange young lady asks for cigarettes in a slummy area of Mexico and then some near jumping moments like when the phone at the store rings as well as to what she does to someone else which looked bizarrely crazy and deadly too offering a punch of terrors and suspense.
Then the story takes place in California with some happy college students about to go away on a spring break trip as Markie Cameron tries to convince Olivia Barron to come with them but refuses until she insists on her going as the excitement looked great with some credits on who stars in this showing them going to the border as well as them partying out which wants to make you join the fun while watching all of this occuring.
While these people are partying at a bar I spotted an effective moment with one of them known as Ronnie getting cocky towards Olivia and someone else there sticks up for her who happens to be the mysterious one Carter and a fight nearly happens which made me wonder if they will duke it out as it looked extremely effective.
Then things seem to roll nicely when the friends go to an old church and Ronnie discusses a game called truth or dare in which things looked uplifting with all of them laughing and enjoying themselves but then it turns into a heated argument with their secrets shared as this turns things around greatly which looked well done and then later on Carter mysterious appears towards Olivia getting emotional telling them that the game is serious and suddenly it looked clever that she was hallucinating as he was never there in the first place which psyched me out and a perfect touch for the story.
Later on when we continue to watch the movie something looked nice and twisted when Carter is shooting pool at a bar and we see one of the other friends with a twisted grin on her face doing a truth or dare stunt towards him as he gives in to it leading to a deadly situation which was an attention grabber and leading to more moments as I suddenly started to get as to what these situations were all about.
Things looked perfectly psychological offering nice tension when Olivia demands Markie to break her hand with a hammer as it's the only way for her to survive as she refuses which made me watch carefully wondering as to whether or not she will do it since this isn't an easy moment to watch to anyone who can't handle pain thinking that there's no choice but to do it if anyone will survive this truth or dare moment.
Perfect spooky moment when Brad Chang is waiting in a hallway at an ER room and there's a dead body of an old man in a room with a nice distant camera shot on this object rising but then when he turns to see what's happening this corpse is still lying there and then later a nice surprising moment on this corpse doing a truth or dare speaking to him as this is a nice near jumping moment and perfectly creepy to watch as well.
A real suspenseful moment is when Penelope Amari has to do a dare by walking on a sideway of a roof while drinking booze as this was well focused along with her friends trying to get her bed mattress out to try and catch her fall if she slips which kept me watching and wondering if they will make it in time.
It seemed necessary when they track down the strange lady from the beginning of the movie to find out as to why this is all happening as well as perfect intense moments when she tries to shoot one of them as the moments occuring here looked very powerful and suspenseful to watch adding alot of action piece by piece by how wild things were during what we see in this scene.
Another moment that catches my attention is when Brad has to point a gun at his father making him beg as he doesn't want to do this else it would cause him his life in which this doesn't look pretty to watch wondering if he will listen to his son or not which looked disturbing that he is forced to do this to his old man.
Then there's the final moments of the truth or dare curse when the survivors try to go back to the old church to find a way to put an end to everything as well as confronting Carter on the incidents as well as struggling moments happening here as this packed a punch as well as telling him he has to cut his tongue which isn't an easy task to do which was another great psychological moment in the story. Plus good special effects when things come tumlbing down and so fourth. This is one of the best scene's in the flick saving the best for last.
Bottom line is that this flick has similar elements to the Final Destination legacy as it's psychological and full of tension. The flick is very well done as I was wondering what to expect of this since it had some of the makers to Happy Death Day a film I loathed but it's got nothing on this one that's for sure. Definetely not a good feeling thinking a fun game of truth or dare can mean putting a bad spell on you. Worth checking out if you're into these types.
The acting is in decent shape in which we have our main actress Lucy Hale (Olivia Barron) really being sharp and on the ball of things by what she was talking about as she was clear with her speaking and actions. Does well acting anxious or emotional when the moments were necessary. Showed alot of energy and adrenaline into everything that she did here. Deserves good credit for her role in this one.
Tyler Posey (Lucas Moreno) offers a great seriousness as well as coming aqcross as the intelligent type. He has a strong drive by what he is doing piece by piece into his performance. Had the right looks for what he portrayed and seemed to show off some okay characteristics too.
Violett Beane (Markie Cameron) was probably the best out of the whole cast having a perfect no bullshit type of behavior and being straight forward with stuff as well as showing off some good aggressions too whenever it was necessary for her to behave this way. She was a powerful force of nature as well as doing a great job with her upsetting and emotional attitude which also seemed very realistic.
Hayden Szeto (Brad Chang) added a ton of spunk and enthusiasm in his part having a good uplfting attitude as well as really jumping into the action of things. Does well with his frightened attitude too. Plus really rolls with the punches when he is forced to do something and hates doing it which he brought to life a great deal.
Landon Liboiron (Carter) brought it on with his mysterious and serious behavior as well as showing a good brave attitude when acting cool on a certain scene. Also shows a nice versatality with his scared and emotional attitude when he tells someone about the game being real which he made his performance memorable by doing this. Shows alot of forceful energy too quarter way through his role as well.
Sam Lerner (Ronnie) had the best supporting role even if his role wasn't too big in which he had a perfect dorky type of partying behavior as well as coming off as one of those troublemaking types when anyone crosses him bringing it to a great hype. Also does well challegning someone else. Plus had the right looks and appeal to portray this type of role.
The classical composing done by Matthew Margeson really sounds smoothly and powerfully done with the long violin sounds as well as the piano playing. Also some great deep low dark sounds for when the spooky events occur which was on the b all too. PLus there's nice booming noises and hissing sounds which works in well for a horror flick of this kind. Plus there's nice smooth synthesizer music sounding totally A grade.
Brad: [from trailer] Ah Penelope.
Penelope: Dare.
Ronnie: Make out with Olivia!
Penelope: Let's get this party started.
[walks over and begins kissing Olivia]
Markie Cameron: Break Olivia's hand.
Olivia: [putting down hammer on table] You have to do it!
Markie Cameron: Look as pissed as I am at you right now, there's no way I'm going to break your hand!
Olivia: Well you really don't have a choice
[places hand on table]
Olivia: [Seeing Markie hesitate with the hammer] God just do it! [Markie swings the hammer down]
Penelope: How do we get out of this game alive?
Markie Cameron: [smiling face] You can't. It only ends when all the players dead. And your turn is next.
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