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Dead Awake

Play trailer 2:15 Poster for Dead Awake 2017 1h 39m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
11% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 17% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Kate Bowman is a by-the-books social worker who is investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from sleep paralysis, a frightening ailment that immobilizes its victims as they dream. Kate is approached by an unorthodox doctor who warns of an evil entity that haunts people in their sleep. She brushes aside his admonition, but when a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate's friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she's unleashed.
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Dead Awake

Critics Reviews

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John DeFore The Hollywood Reporter May 16, 2017
Most likely to frighten viewers who begin nodding off and fear they'll be unable to rouse themselves to leave the theater. Go to Full Review Jen Yamato Los Angeles Times May 11, 2017
Despite Donahue's best efforts in a grand finale sleep session with life-or-death stakes, the premise never lives up to its promise. Go to Full Review Rob Staeger Village Voice May 11, 2017
The whole affair plods along in by-the-numbers fashion, and the characters are all types, displaying little evidence of interior lives. Go to Full Review Joey Keogh Wicked Horror Oct 7, 2019
7/10
Dead Awake is slight but scary, simple but tough and, at times, crawlingly creepy. Fear your bed. Go to Full Review Josh Goller Spectrum Culture Jul 20, 2019
1/5
With absolutely nothing new to offer, Dead Awake is content to coast on a flimsy premise involving a scary-sounding medical condition turned malevolently paranormal. Go to Full Review Kat Hughes THN Aug 29, 2018
2/5
Given this is one of the first movies that we can think of that covers sleep-paralysis in such detail, it should be fresh and invigorate the genre, instead it plods along ticking off all the expected, but uninteresting, boxes. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Melissa L @Agent99 Apr 20, 2026 I have suffered from nightmares/night terrors since I was a child. I thought this movie pretty scary. The end seemed open-ended, although I don't think a sequel was ever made. I recommend it. See more Kenneth S @RT34448678 Mar 10, 2025 It’s like a Deja vu movie, I don’t remember the names of the other movies I watched but it’s pretty much the same story but worth watching once. I fell asleep about half way through and rewatched it again and it wasn’t terrible. I’ve definitely watched worse lol. See more Sep 11, 2020 This movie is garbage, I literally laughed the entire time because of the ridiculous this film can be. See more Feb 14, 2018 It's perfect to fall sleep in the theater See more Jan 4, 2018 WARNING ⚠ You won't die from fear watching this movie, just boredom ⚠ See more Nov 22, 2017 "Sleep paralysis that can kill you isn't real...psych!" -Dr. Sykes Also, documentary? Heck to the yeah. See more Read all reviews
Dead Awake

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Cast & Crew

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Phillip Guzman

Director

Jocelin Donahue

Kate

Lori Petty

Dr. Sykes

Jesse Bradford

Evan

Brea Grant

Linda Noble

Jesse Borrego

Hassan Davies

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Dead Awake

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Dead Awake

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Movie Info

Synopsis Kate Bowman is a by-the-books social worker who is investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from sleep paralysis, a frightening ailment that immobilizes its victims as they dream. Kate is approached by an unorthodox doctor who warns of an evil entity that haunts people in their sleep. She brushes aside his admonition, but when a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate's friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she's unleashed.
Director
Phillip Guzman
Producer
Phillip Guzman, James LaMarr, Philip Marlatt, Derek Lee Nixon, Kurt Wehner
Screenwriter
Jeffrey Reddick
Distributor
FilmRise
Production Co
Aristar Entertainment
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 12, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 12, 2017
Runtime
1h 39m
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