The concept of “a group of
individuals being forced to play a game of life-and-death in which they need to
solve puzzles in order to progress from one room to the next and extend their
lives” has been explored in cinema before – most specifically in the Saw franchise and Cube. However, it’s only in Escape Room that it’s utilized in the context
of an escape room interactive adventure game.
The psychological horror film follows
six strangers (Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Tyler Labine, Jay
Ellis, and Nik Dodani) who receive invitations to visit the Minos Escape Room
Facility for a chance to win $10,000.
However, they soon discover that the series of elaborate, challenging
escape rooms that they need to navigate through is not a make-believe, fun game
at all, but a real, deadly gauntlet for survival.
I like the first third or so of
the movie. Half of the characters are
given solid, curiosity-grabbing introductions.
There’s creativity and thrills in how the “game” kicks off. And a sense of intriguing mystery is emphatically
established. At that point, it has been seemingly
setting up a mindblowing reveal.
Unfortunately, the movie gets
downhill around the halfway mark. It
starts to feel messy. And once it gets
to the third act, the answers to its questions turn out being unsatisfactory and clichéd. When the bigger picture is finally divulged, one
is only left disappointed. It lacks the appropriately grand and unique plot twist that would have given justice to its fresh premise and strong start.
Moreover, by the way it ends, it’s seemingly more concerned with starting a franchise than making a compelling, complete story.
Moreover, by the way it ends, it’s seemingly more concerned with starting a franchise than making a compelling, complete story.
However, there’s a scene (mild SPOILERS) very near
the end that is somewhat brilliant. Some
extras are put in the forefront and they showcase some dreadful, hammy
acting. But, as it happens, there’s a reason
for that. It was something that I
honestly didn’t see coming. During that
stretch in which I was still unaware of what’s really happening in that scene, the
only thing going on my mind was bafflement that such bad acting was allowed on
screen. Then, after learning that it was intended, I was impressed by the execution.
Nevertheless, no, that wasn’t
enough to make up for the movie’s underwhelming finish.
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