Video Games are the New Movies: Can Until Dawn Live Up to Its Predecessor?
“If you showed this trailer to a video game fan without mentioning it’s based on ‘Until Dawn,’ they’d probably mistake it for just another generic horror movie.”
–Alix Blackburn
“I gotta say, while this teaser looks like it’s shaping up to be an intriguing horror flick, it’s not screaming Until Dawn to me”
–Noah Cochrane
“But not only does the film not get these stars back (only Peter Stormare returns, and to play an entirely different character), it tells an entirely different story. This is not Until Dawn at all”
–Stacey Henley
I get it. As an avid fan of Until Dawn and other video games, I am wary of the upcoming movie adaptation. When I first heard they were turning the incredible video game into a film, I was ecstatic. Until Dawn, a 2015 drama horror video game, has been one of my favorite video games since grade school, and I was curious to see how the movie would compare. However, after watching the trailer, the movie most definitely took the video game as more of a suggestion than an adaptation. You can even see from the quotes floating above, many Until Dawn fans are disappointed to see how much the film deviates from the source. People predict the movie won’t live up to the success and amazingness that is Until Dawn. Believe me, I too am skeptical of the film, but I like to call myself an optimist, and I want to point out the redeeming qualities and potential of the upcoming film despite the discrepancies.
In the original video game, players control eight young adults during a terrifying night consumed by horror, mayhem, and chaos, with their main objective being to survive until dawn (see what I did there?). One of the game’s biggest themes is the Butterfly Effect: this theory states that the most seemingly insignificant decisions or moments can forever change your destiny. Essentially, no matter how small the choice may appear, every action you take counts and creates the path to your future, for better or worse. In the game, a simple action such as turning left instead of right could very well be the reason a character perishes. As for this article, you have the ultimate choice to make, which will completely and utterly alter your fate… Well, maybe not your entire fate, but hey, who knows? With the Butterfly Effect and all, it could.
Which Until Dawn character do you like better, the resourceful and sharp-tongued Emily or the irreverent and bold Jess? And if you don’t know who any of these two girls are, choose which name you like better, or who gives off the best vibe. If you choose Emily, follow the red path, and if you choose Jess, follow the blue path and see how your story unfolds. Although different, both paths will discuss the potential for this movie despite how it differs from the game.
Red path:
If you’ve chosen the red path, welcome along. To start, there is a big difference between the film and the game: the characters. Although I would love to see Rami Malek (Josh), Hayden Panettiere (Sam), and Nichole Sakura (Emily) back in action, it wouldn’t make sense for them to come back to play teenagers, although I think Jordan Fisher, who plays Matt in the game, could still pull off playing a teenager. Such iconic actors and actresses made for a fantastic set of characters in the video game. So, if it wouldn’t make sense for the original cast to be in the film, why not create new and fresh characters to bring the spunk and edge of the video game characters? I’m not gonna lie, I was upset when I saw that the movie wasn’t even using the same name for the characters. However, this difference helps create a healthy distinction between the film and the game while still sticking to certain aspects of the original as with any adaptation, not everything will be the same as the game. Another point to think about is that when players grab the controller and dive into the game, they customize a unique experience tailored to their actions. As the film might differ quite a bit, it takes that aspect of player-choice games and creates a unique experience for audiences. We should keep this in mind and give the movie a fair shot.
If you are anything like Emily, a methodical control freak, I highly recommend you play or watch the gameplay of Until Dawn before you see it in theaters. If you also want to see other Supermassive (developers of Until Dawn) games, my other favorites are Little Hope, The Quarry, and Man of Medan. Also, definitely check out the blue path as well to see how your story differed!
Blue path:
I am so thrilled you’ve joined the blue path. Let’s dive into this illustrious journey! One aspect that people have pointed out is the film’s villain, or rather villains. In the original game, there are two main antagonists (keeping details vague so I don’t spoil too much, you are welcome). However, the movie introduces a multitude of villains. I feel as though this expands the story so that it is not a pure carbon copy of the game, and not to mention, the movie still incorporates the villains of the video game. Fans wonder how the movie will capture the idea that the characters are being controlled by a player where scenes can be replayed if you are not happy with the outcome. Well, the movie has a clever solution for this: a time loop. By the looks of the trailer, the movie revolves around a time loop where the characters die and come back to life, reliving a new night. Some people feel that this completely strays away from the original plot (which, again, I am keeping vague), but this is a brilliant way to portray the aspect of a replayable video game. It also adds to the uniqueness that the movie brings.
With this, I hope you wait to watch it on April 25th and then play or watch gameplay to see for yourself how the movie stacks up to the video game. If you are interested, here are some of my favorite player-choice-based games: Life is Strange, The Walking Dead, and Detroit: Become Human. Also, check out the red path as well to see how your story differed!