Countdown

Tonight I screened Countdown, starring Elizabeth Lail and Peter Facinelli.

A group of friends dare each other at a party to download an app that supposedly reveals your time of death and the person with the soonest fate has to drink the remaining drinks. Silly, right? Sure it is ... until that individual dies at the precise time that app said she would (and no, not from alcohol poisoning).

A story for modern times, for sure—with all of the tech nerd cheap shots they can fit–that examines our obsession with Smartphones and attempts to provide some jumps and scares in the meantime.

After one of her patients passes away, also at the time the app says he would, Quinn (Lail), a new nurse, downloads the app to her phone. She's alarmed when the time of death is just a few days away and begins seeing and hearing things that make her think there's more to it. She does what any sane person would do and attempts to delete the app from her phone, but that proves to be impossible.

She soon meets another app "victim" and they become friends, seeking ways to rid themselves of their certain fates. They enlist the help of an almost cartoonish young priest who is new to the demon-fighting trade and the film turns from wannabe-thriller to unsuccessful screwball comedy.

Did I mention there's a whole #MeToo side story in there too? I was excited to see Peter Facinelli emerge as the slimy doctor (I always loved him in a similar role on Nurse Jackie), but really as a fine actor, he deserved more.

Overall, this wasn't terribly scary, didn't ever really solve why the deaths were happening (what motivated the "demons") and gratuitously set up the sequel at the end. Thanks, but I'll pass.

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