“Countdown” An Entertaining, Sometimes Clever Thriller
- Matt Palmer
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
As I was planning this week’s review slate, I came upon a small supernatural psychological thriller that I haven’t seen since it was initially released in 2019 - “Countdown.” While its initial premise about a killer app predicting a user’s exact time of death was deemed fun, both critics and some genre analysts immediately saw it as an exceedingly forgettable and predictable movie - I actually really enjoyed this movie.
When a nurse 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 a figure haunting her, she must find a way to save her life before time runs out.
Like I stated before, this was the first time checking this thriller out since its initial theatrical release. Now, while the movie is widely regarded as a forgettable movie experience, I really thought it was a fun and sometimes clever movie.
The 2019 thriller “Countdown” delivers some decent little scares that also helps keep the pace of this roughly 90 minute movie going really quick. The “ticking clock” narrative actually feels like a modernized, technology-driven homage to a couple classic horror franchises. Some of the premise heavily mirrors “Final Destination” as some of the characters try to out-smart and escape a predetermined death and “The Ring , which revolves around a strict, terrifying deadline to solve a curse before time runs out.
The movie’s concept automatically established a high-stakes, fast-paced narrative. Due to the fact that the characters could physically see their remaining lifespan dropping on their phone screens, the premise creates a palpable, immediate sense of urgency that
made the initial setup highly engaging.
Throughout this thriller, as we see the countdown clock get closer to zero, the frequency and intensity of the paranormal haunting's increases, easily ensuring the momentum never slows down. I also liked how the entities actively hunt the characters rather than waiting for them to enter the typical “haunted house” setting, proving that no location was safe. “Countdown” also effectively uses reflections (mirrors, glass, screens) where a dark figure would lurk but disappear the moment a character spun around.
“Countdown” also delivers some memorable moments that can be both thrilling and a little humorous with a few comic relief moments, such as the suspenseful opening scene involving a car accident and a girl who ended up dying (despite her not being in the car) and the exorcism at the conclusion where a priest tries to help them fight the demon using a pentagram and salt. Comedian Tom Segura can bring a few laughs as a sarcastic phone store manager who provides an overall dismissive vibe toward the terrified characters and a small humorous moment where the priest is seen listening to rap music when a couple of characters are looking for help.
The 2019 supernatural horror movie “Countdown” received largely negative reviews from critics, but was viewed as a passable “popcorn flick” by general audiences. Viewers enjoyed the modern “Final Destination” - style setup of an app that precisely predicts your death, noting it felt like a clever and relevant twist on demonic curses.
Produced on a budget of just $6.5 million, the movie grossed roughly $48 million worldwide. The viral marketing campaign surrounding the movie’s tie-in app also generated massive online interest. Once it hit home release and streaming platforms, it found a solid audience from interested horror fans.
MPA: Rated PG-13 for terror, violence, bloody images, suggestive material, language and thematic elements (runtime 90 min)
Initial release date: 10/25/2019
Streaming: Netflix/various PVOD (as of writing this review)
The app featured in the film actually exists. It is owned by the studio and was used to promote the film. If you download it, it gives you a time until death. But if you delete it and download it again, it gives you a different time.
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