With a touch of teen drama and effective editing, Truth or Dare (2018) brings a real sense of discomfort to modern horror.The film tells the story of a vacation gone wrong for Olivia, portrayed by Lucy Hale, her best friend Markie, portrayed by Violet Beanne, Lucas, portrayed by Tyler Posey, and their group of friends.When the group arrive in Mexico to celebrate Spring Break, they meet the mysterious Carter, who leads them to an abandoned church late in the night.

After joining in on a drunken game of truth or dare, the group return home to their normal lives of school work, family drama and relationships. Olivia, played by Lucy Hale, finds herself haunted by remnants of the Mexican game. Soon, she learns that it was possessed and has followed the group home. As they are each faced with their own revelations and moral dilemmas, the group deals with the demands of the game. Either they face their dares, they tell the truth or they die.

Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey and Violet Beanne, along with their supporting cast prove to possess a certain strength when it deals with the darker themes portrayed throughout the film.As each character is forced to risk their lives, hurt their friends, or unveil a long kept secret, the ensemble maintains a convincing portrayal, making it all the more easy to be sucked in by Truth or Dare. One of Truth or Dare‘s stand out factors is its ability to stray from a common dependence in approach to modern horror; a complete dependence on jump scares. While the film doesn’t go without, its special effects editors deserve a nod for their ability to manipulate each character’s face into an unsettling possessed image.

Certainly not for the fainthearted, Truth or Dare promises an adrenaline fueled and disturbing night at the movies. With a special shock delivered late in the film, Truth or Dare prompts its audience to question what they would do in the face of danger and heartbreak.

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