Ah, at the start of Spring what’s more romantic than a first date? Well, at least there’s the possibility of romance. Yes, that initial meeting is often the start of a cinema love story, or often a comedy (including lotsa’ ‘rom-coms”). But that’s not the case with this week’s new release from the folks at Blumhouse (that should give you a huge hint). In this flick, the jitters of a dinner with a new “potential” turns into outright terror when the evening’s intimate meal is “cyber-hijacked” by an evil manipulator. The couple at the center of this thriller barely make it to the appetizer before the “meet cute” gives way to suspense when some deadly messages begin to Drop.

This story actually starts with a scene full of violence and terror, though it’s unclear about its “placement” in the tale. Is it a “flash-forward...