Rent Until Dawn (2025)

Dimly Lit and Deeply Lost - Until Dawn review by griggs

Until the credits rolled, I had no idea Until Dawn was based on a game—though that might explain a few things, like the stilted pacing, patchy logic, and why half the cast seems to be waiting for a cutscene to load. The setup—a group of twenty-somethings stranded somewhere sinister—is familiar enough, but the film never finds a fresh angle. Or a torch.?

Whole stretches pass in near-total darkness, and I don’t mean thematically. Even with the brightness cranked up on a 4K screen, large chunks of the film were practically invisible. I’m all for atmosphere, but there’s a difference between shadowy and just… poorly lit.?

Plot-wise, your guess is as good as mine. People appear. People disappear. Occasionally, someone screams. The film seems to want to say something about guilt, or time, or death—but mostly says “wait, what?” The final scene gestures half-heartedly at a sequel, though judging by this outing, it’s hard to imagine anyone staying up for another round.