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.
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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.