After the likes of ‘Creep’ and ‘Get Out’, Jason Blum is back with yet another low-budget horror. Unlike other films in the genre, where people or objects get possessed, ‘Truth or Dare’ has a demon possessing the actual game.
Jeff Wadlow’s grand vision for horror eschews normal jump tactics but it also forgoes anything remotely scary. Instead, audiences have to make due with red-eyed humans sporting grotesque Joker-like grins that required little to no special effects. What’s worse is the lack of a credible soundtrack or even sound effects to create a nervous atmosphere. Without the chills of a horror film, ‘Truth or Dare’ relies on its script, which is unfortunately weak with no innovation. It’s as if the film was one among many on a production line on which Hollywood is churning out horror films like mass-produced knick-knacks.
As if fiercely resisting all forms of originality, the film features a staid set of characters we’ve seen in several slashers before. There’s the saintly Olivia (Lucy Hale); loose-moralled Markie (Violette Bean); straight-edged boyfriend Lucas (Tyler Posey). But let’s not forget the auxiliary characters, a couple in the form of Tyson (Nolan Gerard Funk) and Penelope (Sophia Ali); and finally gay Asian Brad — thrown in for diversity — played by (Hayden Szeto). Had the characters not been so stereotypical, perhaps there would be some room for the actors to showcase their skills.
As the characters drop like flies, ‘Truth or Dare’ unfurls like any teen thriller (albeit with a paranormal angle). It’s terribly predictable with no scares.
