The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

"Just Before Dawn" isn't exactly ground-breaking in its plot but this film does manage to sustain some suspense as well as a steady pace and a very good performance from that fine character actor, George Kennedy . He should have been in the film much more as he is the only person I could describe as being a professional and gifted performer. Even so, George Kennedy certainly makes the most of his screen time. A group of young campers are on holiday amongst mother nature in the grassy hills but are warned by Kennedy to stay away from the area. Naturally, the characters don't listen and pretty soon tragedy occurs. The violence is pretty grim most of the time and leaves little to the imagination. The setting is ideal as you are rooting for the campers to survive the mad killer who is on the loose and that there is no one nearby who can help. A minor classic that deserves repeated viewing.

Just Before Dawn is a slasher movie from the early 80s after the successful of Friday the 13th.There nothing to make this movie stand out from others slasher flick release the same year but it still fine movie if you into the genre.A group of 20 years old looking teenagers go camping on mountain unaware of the locals rumor about devil living up there so now they need to pay the price.The built up to the kills is nice there some good cinematography with the mountain view and some suspenseful moment.The characters not annoying but i still don't care about any of them.The kills not over the top or bloody all that much but the deep throat scene near the end might surprise some people

I somehow stumbled across 'Just Before Dawn' on the IMDb a week or so ago and read the synopsis which promised a "genuinely shocking twist". So being a lover of twists (and horror) I went and tracked down a copy to give it a look. What I got was a film with nothing remotely like a "genuinely shocking twist", but a film that had enough going on to keep the viewer interested and watching, and thus became passable.The twist really didn't have a lot going for it. It was poorly revealed (a very key element to any twist) and just frankly wasn't that shocking. It changed almost nothing regarding the story or plot. In later years the "two killer" twist would be perfected by the 'Scream' series directed by Wes Craven proving it's a twist that can work if executed correctly. Here it was not.There's just enough here to keep a modern audience satisfied and nothing more. Horror really hasn't aged well from the 70's and 80's. Back in 1981 this may have been a well made, horrifying story but in the modern age it simply can't hold a candle to what is being produced. That's why it's always tough to go back and watch old horror movies. I've certainly seen worse from around the same era, but I've also seen better. I don't think this one will stick in my memory.

JBD has something that a lot of other horror films lack. I knew that the first time I saw it. It stands above many others. It's funny to think this when it's scenario here is nothing knew. The film even has better actors for this type of flick, none better than Gregg Henry, and it's great to see him play a good guy. The actress playing his girlfriend, looks like a female version of him. Are they related? Again, despite the warning of an old buzzard (horror icon, George Kennedy, who else) not to venture into these dangerous woods, of course they pay no heed. Henry and co proceed in their R.V. into this elevated terrain, below quite a drop, (kind of has you thinking of RV with Robin Williams). The killer family (cliched) are of course deformed, some of them giants, very much Wrong Turnish 1. As they trek out into the mountains, the movie takes it time to pick off it's victims (I like movies that work this way) they are picked off gradually. JBD, an unhurried frightener flick, maintains much suspense, throughout, which it never loses, some of it truly claustrophobic. This horror is one of those few, I've actually found truly and effectively scary. Some moments, truly jangle the senses. Violence is restrained here too. Although JBD with a lot of instances and happenings which are cliché'd, what it has great suspense, which a lot of other films lack this much in volume, it's story structured with a master disciplined touch. It has a less is more thing going for it. The unrelated ten minute opening too is one of grand suspense, in a movie that pushes all the right buttons. There is a warning, on the cover that the last ten minutes of the movie may be intense or disturbing. What an over exaggeration, you'll see what I'm talking about, when you see that image.