Saw 'Truth or Dare', being fond of horror regardless of budget (even if not my favourite genre) and being intrigued somewhat by the idea. Being behind on my film watching and reviewing, with a long to watch and review list that keeps getting longer, it took me a while to get round to watching and reviewing it.Giving 'Truth or Dare' a fair chance with being interest and apprehension, it turned out to be far better than expected. Won't say that 'Truth or Dare' is a great film because it isn't and the potential, while not wasted, is not fully lived up to. Considering the large number of films seen recently being mediocre and less and wasting potential, was expecting worse and was relieved that while wanting in a fair few areas it was actually one of my better recent low-budget viewings.'Truth or Dare' started off quite well, the first twenty minutes or so starting the film off on a promising, unsettling and atmospheric note that really does intrigue. Production values did have some eeriness and nowhere near as cheap as expected, and the music, which not the most memorable in the world, didn't detract from the atmosphere. The setting is effectively spooky and some of the lead acting at times was not bad. There are spooky and suspenseful moments and it isn't dull. The direction doesn't feel phoned in and the storytelling in the first half does intrigue.However, the story was severely wanting in the second half after starting off promisingly. It is very disjointed and after the promising start the final third especially loses atmosphere, one loses interest and things start to not make sense. Too much of the film is vague and doesn't explore some elements and story strands enough, some dropped soon after being introduced, go nowhere or serve much point.Ending is unsatisfying, on top of feeling hasty there are too many loose ends hanging in the air. Got the sense that the writers didn't know how to end the film. Would have liked much more tension and suspense, scares could have been more consistent and some weren't surprising enough. Found too the script to lack natural flow and with a fair bit of cheese going on, and the characters bland with some adopting some annoying and not always logical decision making. The support acting is even more problematic than the second half's storytelling, at best it was poor and too often terrible.Overall, better than expected but not great still. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Preparing for a Halloween party, a group of college friends renting out a mansion finds themselves forced into playing a demented game or truth-or-dare in the house that continues to torment them once they leave and must stop the cycle of violence committed against them.Overall, this one wasn't that bad of an effort. One of the better elements present is the fact that this one goes for a much different and more engaging form of the haunted house tropes. Rather than relying on things going bump in the night and having objects come to life against them, this one tries the rather ingenious ruse of involving the classic game for its setup which results in a rather fun and exciting time here. The way this is inverted in the first half with the turnover from their party shenanigans to the more torturous antics gives this a dark and chilling atmosphere that gets played up rather nicely once these dares start getting brought out. From the time in the house where it starts off with burning themselves to trying to survive electrocution and other intense measures, this one has a great time doling out their punishment in the form of what seems like genuine accidents when they do end up going sour which is exactly what makes the games so dark and thrilling. Since it involves them escaping and then coming into contact with them outside the house, the fun of these scenes is ramped up by the need to feature these as accidents which leaves them just as fun as before. The finale back in the house is full of dark and twisted games which manage quite a lot of sick outcomes to their plight as they attempt to outwit the game only for the tables to keep getting turned in rather fun manners. These here really make this one a lot of fun while holding it up rather nicely over the few minor flaws found here. The main issue is one that's brought up openly in the film where it seems to be a rather weak motivation for the house to behave in this manner which is spelled out in the film proper here. The main genesis of why the group at the house even falls victim to the curse inside is quite bizarre as there's nothing said here about why they're even at the house to fall victim so it manages to leave this one on several confusing notes. As well, the fact that this one lets them escape from the confines of the house and get out only to have to go back later is somewhat of a cheat that makes no sense, as the group staying trapped inside and forced to deal with the situation in that location is a bit odd to occur here. These few issues do lower this one somewhat.Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence and Language.

For a made-for-Syfy movie, Truth or Dare was much better than the channel's usual fare. The film was actually somewhat scary and gory, the story a much more solid one, and the acting and directing far above the norm. It's by no means a masterpiece, but on the whole it holds together consistently throughout and is pretty enjoyable. 7/10

RELEASED IN 2017 and directed by Nick Simon, "Truth or Dare" concerns eight college students who decide to party overnight at a house where several similar youths died under mysterious circumstances in 1983. Some kind of malevolent entity linked to the house forces them to play three rounds of 'Truth or Dare,' with each round upping the ante. Will any of them survive? While "Truth or Dare" begins as a haunted house flick, it branches out after the first act. In other words, the youths aren't stuck in the house the entire movie. This is good because a one-dimensional setting like that can be challenging to pull off for filmmakers, as well as tedious to sit through for viewers (but 2017's "House of the Witch" surprisingly pulled off the challenge). The first 15 minutes or so are kinda fun due to the party element, but things quickly take a dark, serious turn. The mostly no-name cast is effective with Cassie Scerbo standing out as the main protagonist; she's not so no-name, of course, and the movie doesn't fail to highlight her beauty (and I'm not tawkin' 'bout nudity). Alexxis Lemire & Christina Masterson are also notable in the female department, as is Taylor Lyons in the prologue.The story is deeper than it first appears, as an interesting psychological element is eventually introduced. If you like austere TV-budget horror akin to "House of the Witch" mixed with "From Within" (2008), you'll appreciate "Truth or Dare," but be forewarned: The second half becomes increasingly painful to watch due to the "Hostel"-like 'dares' the kids must face. These parts aren't entertaining in the least, but they're gripping. And the actors are convincing. THE MOVIE RUNS about 89 minutes and was shot in the Eastern USA (no info on the exact town/state). WRITERS: Thommy Hutson & Ethan Lawrence. ADDITIONAL CAST: Heather Langenkamp from "A Nightmare on Elm Street" fame has a small role. GRADE: B