Friday, May 8, 2020

TRUTH OR DARE (2018)



Directed By: Jeff Wadlow 
Written By: Michael Reisz, Jillian Jacobs, Chris Roach & Jeff Wadlow 
Story By: Michael Reisz 
Cinematography: Jacques Jouffret 
Editor: Sean Albertson 


Cast: Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Sophia Ali, Violett Beane, Hayden Szeto, Nolan Gerard Funk, Aurora Perrineau, Sam Lerner, Thom Choi 

Olivia Barron, her best friend Markie Cameron, Markie's boyfriend Lucas Moreno, along with Penelope Amari and her boyfriend Tyson Curran, and Brad Chang go on a trip to Rosarito, Mexico. In Mexico, Olivia runs into fellow student Ronnie who proceeds to harass her until a man intervenes on her behalf. The man introduces himself as Carter and eventually convinces her and her friends to join him for drinks at the ruins of a mission. There, Carter initiates a game of Truth or Dare with Olivia and her friends, plus Ronnie, who followed the group. Eventually, the game ends when Carter reveals that he deceived Olivia as a means of tricking her and her friends to the mission to offer them in his place in the supernatural game of Truth or Dare. As Carter leaves, he explains to Olivia that the game will follow them and they must not refuse it.



A Beginner starter horror movie. You Might have heard me use the term Before usually it pertains to a film That has horror elements but Only goes a certain distance as far as material, violence, Scares. Usually pretty basic but keeps you interested.

As more and more studio released horror films serve teens as they always did but also feel formulaic and perfect as starters. As they seem afraid to be different have some meat to them or cross a line. So that they become more a representation but not an actual version.

The teen cast from Many television shows and teen movies in the past remind me of when NBC would have TV movies aimed at teens that started usually all the teen stars from television shows that were on the air on all three at the time networks with titles like dance til dance and a few adult stars. Nothing new as ABC had circus of the stars and battle of the networks to entice viewers and kind of make their television stars seem relatable but bigger than what they were. That is what this film reminded me of. As all the characters are picture perfect good looking.

The film has a surprising sex scene in the middle of the film. Though there is a love triangle that gets annoying and only seems to come about because of this game they are are forced to play.

As the stories characters tried to represent a wide array demographic. Though of course the central three characters are the most defined. As the couple her with a drinking problem and him an Ivy League jerk. You barely get to know. As well as the dude bro who is the first of the group to die. The homosexual Asian seemed one of the more dramatic characters but barely seemed to exist. As his character disappears for a bit then reappears only to be another victim.

This Film is nothing you would ever call deep. In fact it seems to run it’s Gimmick pretty hard, but while not the best or necessarily good. It keeps your interest. It doesn’t offer as many scares as expected but does provide a thrilling premise. That isn’t played as cheap as it could have been, but also isn’t as inspired as it could have been.

Plus it provides an actual surprising ending. Where it is treated lightly but could easily be the end of civilization as we know it.

If looking for no brainer entertainment with a cute cast. this is probably the film you Are looking for. As even though the characters are about to graduate college. This feels like a high school movie. 

Grade: C-

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