“After leaving Silver Falls following Alex’s love confession and her kiss with Cole, Jackie Howard spent the summer in New York City. When Katherine...
Stephen King’s newest adaptation, The Long Walk is not for the faint of heart. It’s a chilling and intense thriller grounded by the emotional depth of its relatable characters and the choices they make.
Based on King’s first-written novel, the film is set in a dystopian future where a group of teenage boys compete to win a life-changing prize in an annual contest known as The Long Walk, where they must maintain a certain walking speed or get shot. It is as stressful as it sounds, pushing horror boundaries that are equally terrifying, thought-provoking and emotional. The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who ironically enough directed several of the Hunger Games movies, which plot wise feel eerily related. Lawrence masterfully captures the tension and anxiety these boys are feeling with every step they take. As soon as the walk begins, audiences will be on edge waiting for the inevitable demise of 49 walkers.
It is a difficult watch but if you can power through the unsettling images, you will be blown away by some early Oscar-worthy performances by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. Read full review here.
Rating: A-
“The Long Walk” opens in theaters September 12, 2025.
Shark movies have become a staple for this time of year, there’s something about watching “Jaws”, “Deep Blue Sea”, “The Shallows”, and many more during the outdoor swimming months that really gets us in the summer spirit. And now, audiences can add a refreshing twist to that list with “Dangerous Animals”.
Director Sean Bryne and writer Nick Lepard bring us the unexpected serial killer/shark combo horror fans will be chomping at the bit to see. Read full review here.
Rating: A-
“Dangerous Animals” opens in theaters June 6, 2025.
I’ll be honest; when I first saw the trailer for this film, I was immediately intrigued. Turning a game that I have loved playing with my friends since childhood into a horror flick sounded surprisingly clever. Think about it. The actual game of truth or dare is kind of scary. You could be forced to share secrets that would ruin friendships, or do things that could ruin you. With that thought in mind, Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare had the potential to really shine. Unfortunately, the film is just a commercialized knock off of The Ring (2002) and Would You Rather (2012).
We first meet our protagonist, Olivia (Lucy Hale), while she is posting a video on social media about her Habitat for Humanity plans this spring break. But, those plans quickly change. Olivia’s best friend, Markie (Violett Beane), begs her to spend the break partying in Mexico instead of helping people in need of homes. After about five seconds of deliberation, Olivia agrees and the girls are off to Mexico with four other close friends.
Once they get to Mexico, we see a cliché montage of the group having fun, partying, and taking selfies. But of course, they couldn’t just leave it at that. Nope, the group foolishly decides to follow a stranger they met at the bar to “a fun place”. Yup, it was that easy. They are led to an abandoned church, and the mysterious new friend suggests they play truth or dare. They soon to come to find out that the game is haunted by a demon, and now they are forced to play the game forever or die.
As silly as the premise sounds, the film still manages to conjure up a few screams. The actual dares keep you on edge and can be a little gruesome at times. So in that sense the film is effective. But as a whole, the film flounders. The dialogue is cheesy, and feels more like a teen drama series. Dare I say like Pretty Little Liars? There is also way too much crammed into this movie. The few character backstories are rushed, and the journey to finding out how to the end the game is confusing.
The acting is decent; lots of controlled tear drops. There’s a ridiculous love triangle in there somewhere between Markie, her boyfriend Lucas (Tyler Posey), and Olivia. But I chose not to put much thought into that because, clearly, the writers didn’t either. I blame most of my qualms on the script. These young actors are capable of giving better performances in a more solid film.
Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare may entertain its target teen audience with its attractive cast and tense moments, but their money might be better spent if they save this one for a rental.
Rating: 2.5/5
“Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare” opens in theaters April 13.
