Countdown is a thriller/horror flick that looks to capitalize on today’s smartphone society. If you download an app, you can see how long it will be before you die. And since this is a horror film, some people don’t have very long.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie isn’t very fresh. It received a 26 percent on the Tomatometer. However, the Audience Score was 70 percent.
There isn’t a Critics Consensus yet. But the Movie Info says,
“When a young nurse (Elizabeth Lail) downloads an app that claims to predict exactly when a person is going to die, it tells her she only has three days to live. With time ticking away and death closing in, she must find a way to save her life before time runs out.”
Out of 33 critic reviews so far, only 7 have been fresh.
Here’s what some of the top critics had to say:
The Wrap: Can never be taken seriously enough to work as a conventional horror thriller, and it’s never quite funny enough to be a great horror comedy, but it’s got just enough eccentricity and self-awareness to entertain.
Detroit News: [Countdown] also doesn’t seem to care about its characters, its premise or any sense of coherence, so there’s no reason viewers should, either.
Los Angeles Times: This isn’t a subtle, moody film filled with a sense of unease; instead, jump scares are around every corner. If that’s all you want from a horror movie, you’ll have a very good time – and an elevated heart rate for its speedy 90 minutes.
Hollywood Reporter: A pedestrian thriller whose personal-tech gimmick is even more thinly imagined than one might guess, it’s a jumble of cheap jump scares made watchable by likable leads Elizabeth Lail and Jordan Calloway.
Variety: [A] bombastically dumb new chiller that probably would have been called “Killer App” if that title hadn’t already been used several times.
If these reviews didn’t stop you, you can watch Countdown in theaters, as it’s out now. The trailers show that the film is another installment in the jump scare genre. And if that’s your thing, then these reviews promise you’ll enjoy it.
As far as other Rotten Tomato reports, Screen Geek will have you covered.