Metaphysical horror movie. The film focuses on a metaphysical entity that occurs over the centuries and around the world in many cases of paralysis during sleep. Each different culture has given it a different name like Mora. The film has a very interesting plot, quite well written and with convincing acting, while it had enough suspense and some plot twists. However, it is a bit long in duration and therefore has breaks in the suspense, I would prefer to be shorter and maintain the suspense throughout. Very good overall and above average. Recommended for the fans of the genre.
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nogodnomasters5 July 2017The film opens with the definition of "sleep paralysis." And don't worry if you missed it it is repeated by Dr. Tank Girl (Lori Petty). Beth has it and her twin sister Kate (Jocelin Donahue) doesn't. Soon Beth doesn't have it and Kate does as does nearly everyone around her. During this time they are visited by a hag who chokes them. Sometimes they die. Like Santa, you must either believe or be very pretty for it to come visit.
Go to sleep and see a hag. Not as interesting as a Freddie film, where you move around in your sleep trying to escape. Face it, people laying there getting choked by a hag is low energy. The cover scene was interesting as a spider lowers itself on the open eye of the paralyzed girl, except we see her move her eyelids afterwards...something I might have done with a spider descending into my eye and not wait until I am choked. The sister relationships didn't work for me, it seems they were not developed properly as if they cut a scene. It wasn't until the end that we got the real story. And the final scene with Tank Girl should have come in the middle of the film and been part of the feature.That is the formula we want to see. I didn't find the film scary, but if you have sleep paralysis it might scare the bejesus out of you. And would you sleep around a guy who looked like Hassan (Jesse Borrego)? Hey, Hassan, as long as you are not sleeping, go take a shower and wash your greasy stringy hair.
Guide: infrequent F-word. No sex. Brief blurred butt body double nudity.
Winner of Best Thriller Feature Film Award at Shriekfest 2016. -
So first i gotta complement Jocelin Donahue ,, she did well in the beginning of the movie doing the two sisters roles ,, but the movie plot was just bad ,, the script was slow for a Horror/Thriller genre ,, watched it on my laptop "thankfully" so i kept on speeding up to see the good part till i found myself in the credits :D
The cast was okay ,, i watched Jesse Bradford before "in a comedy" :D so this was weird ,, Jesse Borrego "Dr. Hassan" was just not sensible to be a psychiatric , and even Lori Petty "Dr. Sykes" was so obvious and not engaging .
My advice find some other movie to watch ,, Not recommended. -
brep9116 September 2017As someone who has experienced sleep paralysis countless times, I can say the ordeal is extremely terrifying. The concept & real life experiences could have made this a very decent movie, but it completely missed the mark. This movie doesn't even deserve one star, but I that's the lowest I could rate it. I wasn't expecting one of the greatest movies ever made, but I at least thought I would have a jump moment, feel tension, anything. I just found myself checking to see how much time was left.
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amichnea14 May 2017The movie is nothing new, nothing you haven't seen before. I could name about 3 4 just last year.
I am not familiar with the actual "sleep paralyses" problem but it must be terrifying. This film is obviously using it and mixing it up with "The Ring" and the many other similar horror movies.
I honestly got bored and even started to make jokes as some of the things happening were just plain silly. Very Blah movie. Would not recommend it to anyone looking for a good horror film or a good scare. Not going to get any with this one.... Sorry, I did jump once, the first time I saw the "entity" appear. Then it was all fun and giggles. -
filipsalapa14 May 2017Watching "Dead Awake" made me sleepy. The acting was so dreadful I honestly wanted to get sleep paralysis myself - I guess experiencing that (horryfying condition nonetheless) would have been more interesting than listening to the wooden dialogues, watching no chemistry between ANY of the characters. The music that was such crap, that I honestly thought it was put on there by accident, the camera work, the lights, the sound in general, those inconsistencies. It was ...........
Nah.... you know what? No. To hell with it - watch it! I could go on and on and tell you why this movie is so appalling but no - watch it and see for yourself.
And when you reach the 50-minute mark and you get to the point where the main lead asks "Where's Linda?" and you get to "experience" the dialogue that follows.... the "ACTING" from both of the female characters pretty much sums up this garbage of a movie.
Yeah, watch it.
I suppose all I can say to the team that made this film is.... "great job" (with sarcastic, Heath Ledger's Joker's clapping).
2/10 because I know that Jocelin CAN act, it just seems to me she forgot how to do it this time.
Curtain!
My God, was that movie terrible..... -
horrorgasm18 May 2017Uh oh! A scary ghost is slowly spreading through a group of friends and picking them off one by one! But this time it involves sleep paralysis so this time it's different, right? RIGHT?
It's kind of like a really slow-paced, watered down version of The Ring. The ghost isn't particularly scary once you actually see what she looks like, which happens pretty early on. Death scenes are uninteresting and repetitive. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that a movie can't be a good horror without buckets of blood, but for that to work there needs to be tension and suspense, and there's none to be seen here. Most of the movie just consists of the characters standing around talking about the ghost and trying to convince various people that it exists.
Sorry to anyone who actually likes this, but basically this is a horror-lite movie for people who don't actually like horror movies. That's the only crowd I can imagine enjoying this. It's not scary, it's not thrilling, and it's not interesting. It's an absolute waste of a great concept that maybe someone better can try again someday. -
spg20003 June 2017OK, firstly 'Sleep Paralysis' is very real because I had experienced it at least 3 times in my life now. It was always around morning time just when I was waking up, still feeling that slight drowsiness. In my 'Sleep Paralysis', I felt like I was caught between my dreamlike state and the real world. My mind was very much alert or so I thought. I'm not so sure now. I recalled I couldn't move any part of my body but I could open my eyes and I had no problem breathing. Everything in my room looked exactly the way it was. However, what frightened me was the whispering voices which were all around me. I could not make out what they were saying or whether they were spoken by men or women. I can not remember what went on in my mind just that I was very scared. The paralysis went on for at least 1 to 2 seconds and then suddenly I was able to move and this time I knew I was fully awake. Normally I would forget my dreams after an hour or a day, but I recall every moment of my 'Sleep Paralysis' after so many years. Therefore I know I was not dreaming. In this movie, people died from it and I believe people can die from that. I was in my early 20s and 30s when I experienced my 'Sleep Paralysis',I was scared as hell but I could handle it. I'm in my late 50s now. If It happens again, I would either get a stroke or die from a heart attack. I enjoy watching horror movies but being frighten by a movie does not even come close to being scared when experiencing 'Sleep Paralysis'. Part of this movie is true but 'Sleep Paralyses' is not contagious. This movie is a joke making people think that it can transfer from person to person, example the scene where the girlfriend died and the sister slept over at the boyfriend's place and suddenly the girl's demon from her 'Sleep Paralysis' happened to the boyfriend. What a load of rubbish. If they had taken this story a bit more seriously, I would have enjoyed it. But it was not scary at all.
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idontknow-1459216 March 2019Sleep paralysis is a common phenomenon that if done correctly could have made a chilling plot for a movie. With real life accounts of the hallucinations and many theories surrounding it, they had all the tools to make this a hit. Sadly they missed every mark possible. There is a lackluster script and poor acting throughout that leaves you thinking you missed a scene because how empty and dead the ambiance is. The main protagonist Kate seems to have an aura of superiority and pretentiousness that actually makes you hope for her downfall.
*spoiler* It doesn't help her case when after learning that it can be stopped by just simply not believing in it, she constantly drags other people into figuring the "mystery" out with her. Leading those very people into harms way.
All in all the movie is entertaining just for the point of pointing out it's flaws and inconsistencies. 3/10 -
nowego13 May 2017Most horror fans will have seen it all before and this one, written by Jeffry Reddick, who was part of the Final Destination series was the main reason I looked at it.
Jesse Bradford and Jocelin Donahue are very solid as Evan and Kate, the lead characters and they hold the movie together well.
That's all I am going to say about the movie, I'm not into giving the plot away and going into detail about a movie like some reviewers, you will have to check it out yourself.
Word of warning. Use careful timing if you are eating and drinking during it. I nearly wore my drink and could have choked on my food in a few scare moments that genuinely gave me a fright even though I was expecting them. Kudos to the makers, they did a good job there. Few movies make me jump the way this one did.
While I am not a huge fan of horror movies, I would recommend this one to any horror aficionado.
6/10 -
zombiefan8927 September 2017It's predictable. It's full of clichés, and you'll see every death coming in advance. Still, the concept is pretty good. The thought of some evil force attacking you as you sleep, sounds like another famous, far better, horror movie. The monster was more subtle in appearance than Freddy Krueger. She was basically a much older version of The Ring girl. The director clearly drew inspiration from The Ring and told the actress, "You remember The Ring? Yeah, Crawl on the floor toward the camera like that!"
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SashaDarko24 August 2017Actually a great horror movie, even though it's basically a mix between Nightmare on the Elm Street and Ring, nothing new at all.
The monster is like a girl from the Ringu and it also prefers to crawl rather than walking to do its, ehm, things, which is stupid and always was stupid ("look ---- I CRAWL! SLOOOWLY! ARE...YOU...SCAAAAARRRRRRED? No? F/ck.").
However, the movie is captivating and atmospheric, not to mention very well done overall (aside from a couple of fade-ins by the editor, why?). Actors do their best and they're believable. The characters are standard (like all ya Americans, right?), but not very stupid and ultra-thin, like in most of the other US / Hollywood horror movies. Some kind of movie magic happened here and I believe the great cast was one of the reasons. -
willandcharlenebrown15 September 2020Scary moments and sleep paralysis is real. I've had it a few times and it's terrifying. The ending got cheesy otherwise I would have given it a 7. Great idea to make this sleep phenomenon into a horror film.
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lion_month13 May 2017Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon in which a sleeping person experiences movement inability. This even happens in many people. Clinically, it doesn't hurt but psychologically is terrifying. Of course the reason is not demon/evil but whatever it is, it makes you uncomfortable. I have had such experiences while napping in the afternoon (and not nights!). I have felt that I want to awake but not able to do so. Something strange. At that point, I feel going deeply sleep (or die!) and then attempting to wake up but it is very difficult. Well, no body dies because of sleep paralysis. Now let us to be focused on the movie.
Accepting the fact that sleep paralysis doesn't lead to death, the movie tried to show us it might takes a life which is fantasy than reality. DEAD AWAKE is a little be chilling but not for me because I am rarely terrified by a horror/thriller movie. If you are an easy terrifying person, then there you go. Watch it! It is just a ghost/evil with funny make up! (I don't like that kind of masks!). This is the first Guzman's work I have ever seen honestly. It was directed well. The story could be more close to reality. Camera setting was good. Designs and decorators were good. Actions/plays were not super duper and fascinating but acceptable. I liked Jocelin Donahue's role. All together, I think this movie had much much more potential to be made in better ways. Don't be afraid. It is a supernatural movie without any gore or slashing scene. I was not disappointed but I will definitely not see it again. -
wandernn1-81-68327412 May 2020Surprised to see Lori Petty in anything anymore. Remember back in the day when she used to be in more mainstream movies? Well she's gotten a lot older since then!!!
So this movie...seems to fail on most levels, but not quite all.
'If someone had defeated it I would have found them. I've studied thousands of medical records, researched supposed cures from all over the world.'
'Did you Try the Online Message Boards?'
'I didn't think of that.'
-1 Star for Terribly incompetent scientist!!!
-1 Star because I predicted the ending almost down to exact specifics. Haha -
ttzimas27 June 2017i don't usually wright a review, let alone a bad one, and i think if they had more money they could have done a good job but the film doesn't exceed the level of a youtube fan film!!! no need to go in detail about the dad plot, acting, general quality etc.etc. but one thing is for sure, that it doesn't worth you time.
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dcarsonhagy29 May 2017"Dead Awake" centers around two sisters (both played by Jocelin Donahue). One is a recovering addict, the other is a social worker. After they both start having the same nightmare (which involves dying during sleep paralysis), some digging is done and it seems there have been many people dying under these same circumstances.
I did not find anything original in this movie. The "monster" looks like it crawled--literally--out of "The Ring" franchise. One scene was practically stolen from the original "Nightmare on Elm Street." I'm glad those involved with this POS decided to be sure everyone knows when something bad is going to happen because each victim is treated to a "lights-off; lights-on" trick.
I had to laugh at one reviewers summation, especially when they warned about watching out if you are drinking or eating something because you may spill your drink or you might drop your food. Funny, the only thing I thought about during the movie was how I could keep my food and drink DOWN.
Rated R (couldn't tell you why) and not recommended. -
barrylyman13 May 2017This is not a poorly acted or poorly directed movie.
What it is, however, is an enterprising and unrepresentative portrayal of a very real, very terrifying portrayal of a sleep phenomenon which occurs to most of us more than others realize.
I encourage you to search "sleep paralyses" online. If you're too lazy, it typically occurs within the walls between beta sleep and delta sleep. i.e., between lying in your bed and feeling sleepy and actually falling into a deep sleep.
No demons No death No sleepwalking
This wouldn't happen in a bathtub, or sitting against a wall. Typically, you would experience paralysis when imagining someone breaking into your home, while lying in bed - in the same position you remember lying-down in.
Cheers - I suffer from this 2 or 3 times a year. I hope this is helpful. Don't be afraid - It's natural. -
spencergrande623 November 2017A film about sleep paralysis, the only theme I've been more scared of going in to a film (see: "The Nightmare") than I have waking up the next day (as in, I thought I was going to have nightmares and wake up paralyzed but then woke up the next day having forgotten all about it).
Well here's the fiction take, including the woefully underutilized since "The House of the Devil" actress Jocelin Donahue. It's too bad the the film itself is a tepid, creaky tale of a sleepytime boogeyman that strangles you while you lay there paralyzed. That's not exactly scary. The plot is just pure nonsense and the film has literally no tension nor atmosphere to speak of. -
Well for the characters here, that's not good advice. Still if you are into horror, you want certain things to happen. You expect them to happen. So this does check a lot of boxes. Which makes it likely you will "enjoy" the movie - if you are into horror movies.
The theme has been done before, you may feel it has been done better than this. But while this isn't the best movie ever made, this is quite well made. The actors give it their best, for a small budget movie. Characters are cliche of course and this is overall predictable, with a scare at the end (or twist?) you won't be surprised by. It may be satisfying for most viewers though ... -
thesar30-1-97753123 August 2017Yes, I heard an interview with the writer and his favorite horror movie growing up was A Nightmare on Elm Street, but damn, this wasn't an homage, it was flat-out theft and barely, BARELY, beat the other 2010 remake in quality. Literally, this was pointless with a laughable Ring-type villain and too many plot-holes to cover here. SKIP IT.
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ejamc13 September 2017For those of you thinking this movie is a rip off of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" , you have no idea what you're talking about! It's the same concept, sure, but taken in a completely different direction! Remember those Hmong teenagers that Hassan was talking about? That actually happened! That's where Wes Craven got the idea for "NES" from! And they really did their research about the Old hag, because I've read similar stories in collections of African-American folklore, only she was called "the boo-hag"!
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Honestly, I've seen it all before, and done better... but that's not to say this didn't have a good cast, and wasn't written written well though! It's an alright movie for Netflix, but I wouldn't pay for it!
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Bad acting, bad dialogue. Had some good scary moments but not enough for a full length movie. Please don't waste your time with it.
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brunovanael5 June 2021Nightmare on Elm Street where Freddy is replaced with a retired Samara and the audience is constantly triggered to do what it's not supposed to do : fall asleep.