I rewatched this film in an attempt to gain insight as to what was going on, what connection there was to the source, and what were the directors thinking. By midpoint, it became clear: clarity was not the objective. The plot is paper-thin stitched together with the faintest thread of narrative logic, and the characters are undercooked to the point of raw.
Fans of the game will be baffled, even affronted, others might argue an attempt to build off the source to present something new. A more cynical person might say they slapped a marketable ip onto a generic horror script on some dusty shelf and called it a day. The objective of the film seems to be to hurtle through a carousel of as many generic horror tropes as possible, a cabin in the woods without any of the charm or intelligence.
It is watchable enough: polished, well-lit, technically competent. The performances are decent, rarely inspired but little in the script warrants it. Moments of genuine tension are co-opted by visual flair and the need to be edgy and ‘self-aware’. But, the direction is sound, the visuals flavorful and intense, and certain moments elicit genuine chills. The carousel of tropes elicits at least one outlandish LOL moment, and might be a fun ride, in the right mood or under the auspices of the right inebriants.