Blumhouse Scores Some More Scares with 'Truth or Dare'!

There’s no need to wait for Halloween festivities when the first Friday the 13th of the year has brought us Blumhouse’s latest horror film. Based on a game that has origins dating back to at least the 1700s, Truth or Dare turns its namesake into something far more sinister than just revealing your crush or streaking across your neighborhood...

Directed by Jeff Wadlow, the film starts with a group of friends enjoying Mexico over spring break. After Olivia (Lucy Hale), one of the only single members of the crew, encounters a guy at a bar named Carter (Landon Liboiron), he suggests that they all head out together to continue the night. Upon arriving at their destination, Carter entices everyone into playing a game of "Truth or Dare"... with serious consequences. After returning to their college lives, they begin to experience threatening hallucinations that urge them to continue the game or die. However, the players are not safe even when they submit to the game, as it forces them to reveal intimate truths and attempt dangerous dares. As revealed in the trailer, Olivia is forced to publicly announce that her best friend Markie (Violett Beane) is constantly cheating on her boyfriend Lucas (Tyler Posey). You can imagine that this news doesn’t go over too well.

One of the eeriest aspects of the film is watching the characters’ faces distort into nightmarish grins as they provide ultimatums. Aside from causing audiences to flinch in their seats at each turn, the film also poses an interesting question about making ethical decisions in survival situations. What would you do if faced with the limited options that the remaining characters have in the end? It might be a good time to get those heavy secrets out in the open, because you never know when they could be used against you at some highly inconvenient moments...

As you may have noticed in its marketing, the film is often titled Blumhouse’sTruth or Dare. Over the past few years, the production company has risen in the low-budget film game, specifically for its horror features. Blumhouse has become a force in the genre from its early success with Paranormal Activity, to its franchises like The Purge and Insidious and the Oscar-winning Get Out. Horror films appear to be a great investment for the industry, as many can be made for a low budget and satisfy the interests of a variety of audiences. Regardless of whether the scares in a horror film are superficial or more deeply psychological, the thrill of watching them can usually guarantee enough entertainment to keep people revisiting the genre. If you’ve ever considered writing a screenplay, horror could be a great starting point.

It looks like Ouija boards are getting competition for the title of Most Cursed Game! Prepare some questions and dares for your friends and check out Truth or Dare, now in theatres! And don't forget to check out our exclusive in-Studio interview with stars Hale and Posey!

(Image via Universal Pictures)

- Melissa Breccia, YH Contributing Writer