A One Mann’s Movies review of “Exit 8” (From the 2025 London Film Festival). (2025, 3.5*, ’15’).
Original title: 8-ban deguchi.
“Exit 8” is based on a Japanese-penned video game called “The Exit 8”, which – of course – I have never played. But it looks to be like a first-person mystery escape-room type of game: these of course are some of the oldest computer games ever created (anyone old and crusty enough to remember saying “Polo” to a wall that was in mint condition??!). I assume the film is a fairly realistic recreation of the game-play, but please comment if you know.
After this film finished I turned in my press seat to gush to the guys behind me about how fun this one was, only to find that they were both pretty unimpressed! Hey – film is subjective, right? But I know that I am a sucker for this sort of “‘J.J.Abrams/Lost – style” mystery/thriller, so I knew this was right in the wheelhouse for my personal tastes. Some of the acting is a bit dodgy in places; it is endlessly repetitive; and I got hugely frustrated by the decisions of the protagonists…. but I did still really enjoy it!
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
A man gets lost in the underground passages of a Japanese metro. How can he escape?
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (The film has not yet been rated by the BBFC but I would expect it to be a ’15’ for some language and – brief – distressing horror scenes. But I might be wrong… it is perhaps on the cusp of being a ’12A’.)
Talent:
Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kôchi, Kotone Hanase.
Directed by: Genki Kawamura.
Written by: Genki Kawamura & Hirase Kentaro. (Based on the video game “The Exit 8” by Kotake Create.)
Running Time: 1h 35m.
Summary:
Positives:
- A fun script that doesn’t let on exactly where it will take you next.
- An opportunity to appear superior in intellect to the characters!
- A fun use of Ravel’s Bolero.
Negatives:
- Some of the acting is of the ropey kind.
- Some may find the repetitive nature of the film annoying.
- Those with musophobia will have an issue with one section of the film.
Full Review of “Exit 8”:
Like one of your worst nightmares.
There is a wonderful sense of “Lost” about this movie: one of my favourite ever TV series. At one point, the subject of death and purgatory even comes up in the dialogue. For we, as the ‘Lost Man’, are pitched into a waking nightmare, where walking down one subway corridor and round another couple of zig-zags takes us right back to where we started from. The Möbius strip, on a poster for an art exhibition, taunts us with its never-ending improbability! For there are no explanations made for any of this… which I personally loved. We are in similar territory here to “Escape Room“, but with a more supernatural twist.
A feeling of intellectual superiority.
As this movie is a spin-off from a video game (normally the kiss of death with me for movies), we ARE in a game and as participants we have to learn the rules and stick to them. Fortunately, the rules are – in the classic words of Simon and Garfunkel – already written on the subway wall.
Sadly, the individuals trapped in this purgatory (and we do meet more of them) are pretty damned stupid when it comes to following them. Unlike my viewing of “Sound of Falling” a few days ago, which left me feeling utterly stupid in not understanding the timey-wimey nature of the plot, this film gave me a joyous sense of intellectual superiority. I’d like to think I would have been out of there is the flashest of flashes!
But, in all seriousness, I would have actually liked some of the ‘anomalies’ to be a little bit more obscure to make escape less of an easy option.
Is it mystery or horror?
In the most part, this is an engaging little mystery drama that would be really enjoyable for early teens and up. There was only one point where it flipped over into horror: the ‘lost man’, while flicking through his phone on the subway, had alighted upon an article showing the lab rat onto which had been grown a human ear. Through no coincidence, this creature – plus assorted friends – reappear in one sequence that will make haters of rats in movies – like Henry Jones Snr. – run for the door.
Seamless single shot effects.
On the assumption that they DIDN’T build an everlasting set of identical tunnels (!), I was impressed with some of the special effects employed here. The sweep from place to place and back again was done without me obviously being able to spot the joins, which I assume occurs while the camera is sweeping across an area of tiled wall. It’s nicely done.
Some rough corners.
Whilst I enjoyed this one – probably more than the 3-and-a-half stars would let on, it’d not a perfect film at all. I’m afraid the paranoia and rage of both Kazunari Ninomiya (the Lost Man) and Yamato Kôchi (the Walking Man) flip over into Japanese over-acting territory at some points.
Whilst I found the repetitive nature of the scenes quite comforting (I have never been tested for OCD!), some may start crawling the walls as the man recites the names of all of the posters, the fire hydrant, the doors, the vents etc. for the umpteenth time.
The most fun with the Bolero since “10”!
I did enjoy the use of the Bolero over the titles, with a jaunty yellow background and the characters appearing in time with the beat. Prior to this, the finale of the film I found very satisfying too…. this would have been a difficult film to end well, but they really managed it, helped by Ravel’s classic.
Summary Thoughts:
Although not saying much, this is one of the most fun movie versions of a video game that I’ve watched. I found it great fun. But that might say more about me than you!
Tickets for the London Film Festival showings on the 8th and 9th (two showings) are currently sold out, but here is the booking web site to check for returns or other showings.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_DJMdiQ7lg.
Subscribe
Don’t forget, you can subscribe to One Mann’s Movies to receive future reviews by email right here. No salesman will call!
