Truth or Dare (2017) Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: A group of friends are pulled into a supernatural game of truth or dare.

Review: Should this count as a Halloween movie? The characters say it's Halloween, but there is neither sight nor sound of even the faintest hint that it's Halloween. I'm going to have to say no, this doesn't count. Anyway, this story is strikingly similar to another truth or dare horror movie I've covered so don't think I'm losing my mind with this review. In fact, there are many horror movies with the same title or employ this same kind of premise. In this instance, we get a by-the-numbers killer game plot that was almost passable until an unforgivable ending just had to ruin the entire experience. Thanks for that by the way.

You might easily guess what's going on here. A group of friends are staying at an alleged haunted house where a prior group claimed to have played a deadly game of truth or dare. Sure enough, this group of characters becomes entangled in the same supernatural game. If you fail to answer a truth, or fail at a dare, you die. As such, the truths become harder to admit and the dares become increasingly dangerous. This is all standard fare most audiences would expect. To this film's credit, the scenarios concocted were kind of original and creative. I was also surprised by the order characters died since the story shifts focus a bit as it progresses.

Sadly, whatever good faith the movie was amassing gets shit on by an ending that comes out of nowhere with zero resolution. You never find out what is causing this deadly game of truth or dare which was especially annoying since it appeared there was a female spirit controlling it. But that's hardly the issue when the movie is too busy showing us the last two characters trying to finish the final dare when they crash into a tree and fade to black. Wait...whaaaat? Yeah, the movie has the audacity to make the characters not even finish the game or show what happened. Hell, the movie didn't even have the budget to show the car crash...we only get the stock sound effect. Fuck! If all the characters died, and the game won, that would feel cheap but at least it's a conclusion. This, on the other hand, was no ending. Why do filmmakers even do this shit?

Realistically, if "Truth or Dare" had a better ending--or an ending--I would have upped the rating a bit into the decent category. Instead, this is mediocre all the way. The story can be fun at times, but that wasting of valuable time is something I must always acknowledge. Shit endings make so many movies unwatchable, and, despite the average rating, I can't recommend this. It's a shame too, because there were good ideas that were readily squandered.

Notable Moment: When the one guy gets blown away trying to rob the bank. Whoa...don't mess with granny.

Final Rating: 5/10

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