Shannon Larkin, Godsmack drummer and serious horror enthusiast, has written a review of the BD Selects film Truth Or Die, which hit On Demand and VOD on Tuesday! The movie is also available on iTunes and Amazon. You can read Shannon’s review below!

“The film portrays five teenage friends who are taken hostage by a vengeful psychopath and forced to play a party game with life-or-death consequences. Their only hope is to work together and turn the tables on their assailant, even if they must risk their lives in the process. The scene is set for a shocking denouement as secrets are revealed in an epic blood-soaked final confrontation.” David Oakes, Jennie Jacques, Liam Boyle, Jack Gordon and Alexander Vlahos all star.

Truth Or Die
-Shannon Larkin

We start at a party with lots of drinking and drugging and dancing and pretty people. The film feels like a big budget movie and looks really good, and as we meet our characters it’s obvious the acting is top notch, and I was reeled right in to the story. It’s not too deep at first; our five main characters (two dudes, two hot chicks, and a drug dealer) get into a game of Truth Or Dare at the party, and the creepy nerd guy Felix (who was briefly introduced earlier) gets embarrassed and eventually punched by one of our dudes (who is admittedly an asshole), and runs out of the party. Flash forward a bit in time , and we see our partiers reunited after having gotten invited to a big birthday party for Felix the creep (who we find out is very rich) with a bunch of free booze. They all hook up, and head out together to a creepy wooded area owned by Felix’s family, complete with a huge scary mansion. Turns out no one is home at the big manse, but a groundskeeper tells them to walk down a path to the guest house, that is where the party is. Well the guest house is a cabin in the woods, and Felix isn’t there. No one is. Well, except Felix’s crazy older brother, who has quite a story to tell.

He draws our partiers in and tells them Felix won’t be making it as he missed a flight, and the party is cancelled. However, they are welcome to stay the night and have a little party of their own if they wish, plenty of booze n all…

Of course it leads to Truth or Dare.

So far the film has quick edits and big cinematic scenes that are dark and brooding leading up to the first twist and violent turn, which starts the movie down it’s brutal path pretty quick and efficiently.

We find Felix has hung himself, and shamed the family. On his body his brother found a postcard that was sent to taunt Felix and remind him of his humiliating Truth or Dare night at the beginning of the film. He thinks it drove Felix to suicide and wants to know which one of them sent it. He pulls a gun, and really wants to know. I won’t spoil this, but after tying everyone up, a game of Truth or Dare is started by the psychotic brother, and the tension is palpable. There’s plenty of physical and psychological violence, and great settings with a nice, dark feel. Although kind of expected, there’s a cool twist that takes the whole film up a notch and brings the horror, and then another wholly unexpected twist that ROCKS!

All in all I felt everything was put together nicely, with a good pace and a nice sprinkling of violence and insanity carried by the acting, and with a good script and tight direction. The end is killer, and if you like tense hostage-like situations that seem inescapable but always give you that bit of hope for escape, this is for you. There were as many surprises as cliches, which is a high compliment for horror writers, and the score was very good, helping with the moments of anxiety and certainly with the few good jump scares (particularly in the creepy mansion). If this review seems quite vague, it is… I don’t want to spoil this one because it is a bit of a mystery/thriller as well as a horror film. There isn’t any gore per se, but there is blood and several different severed fingers and flesh burning acid, all used in a way that doesn’t detract from the well scripted dialogue and again, kudos to the acting. I’m also a sucker for english accents and verbage, so it was an enjoyable watch for me, even though I probably wouldn’t need multiple viewings. The babes are super hot, but no nudity.

I would recommend this though, as a good time for horror fans, and worth spending an hour and a half of your life watching.

3 stars out of 5, still undecided on whether I’ll add to collection, but impressed none the less with the acting and production.

Until the last time, Apocalypse!