Vertigo Releasing presents Exit 8 in UK and Ireland cinemas from April 24, 2026.
Synopsis
A man becomes increasingly desperate when he realises he is trapped in a subway station, needing to complete a mission to get out.
Review
Film and TV adaptations of video games have become more frequent in recent years, with many improving in quality after the failed attempts that plagued the genre during the 90s and 00s. Now, with adaptations such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Last of Us, Fallout and Arcane, the genre is generally being taken much more seriously, leading to better results, and I definitely think newcomer Exit 8 can also be added to that list.
Based on the horror video game of the same name, Exit 8 takes the initial concept from its source material and runs wild with it. From a structural and visual standpoint, this is arguably one of the most faithful recreations of a video game ever done in live action. The corridor in which the protagonist is trapped looks as if it were pulled straight out of the game, as do the rules he must follow and the overall tone on display.
It’s clear that director Genki Kawamura is a huge fan, as there is a meticulous level of detail here, even going as far as copying the game’s first-person POV for the opening of the film. Kawamura also makes the bold choice to have a lot of the film shot in long takes with a smooth-moving gimbal. This ballsy decision gives the film a seamless fluidity in its pacing, going from one repeating corridor to the next with simple camera moves that will boggle even the most experienced cinematographers. The execution of stitching this never-ending string of tunnels together is genuinely impressive and greatly adds to the building paranoia the film exudes with every passing minute.
The film also has a lot of fun playing with both character and audience expectations. For fans of the game, what is on offer here won’t be anything new, but to the uninitiated, the film consistently finds ways to keep you on edge, diving headfirst into its creepiness when it needs to. There is a particular scene where the lights go out, which cranks the horror up to 11 and follows through on its unsettling potential.
With all that being said, Exit 8 isn’t a clean homerun as, unfortunately, its biggest strengths are also where its weaknesses lie. It’s great to see a film so committed to the original material’s identity and concept, but the main issue arises when you remember the titular game doesn’t really have a narrative of any kind. The video game works as well as it does because it lacks a backstory or context for the scares to be effective in the first place; it just dumps you into a straightforward and perplexing scenario, leaving the player to figure it out for themselves. As there is someone else piecing things together instead, that almost intrusive, one-on-one experience from the game that heightens the fear of the situation is removed, therefore numbing the intended effect during specific moments.
Here, the story is filtered through the experience of our protagonist, simply named ‘The Lost Man’. This allows Kawamura to explore emotional depth because of this character, as well as a thematic throughline revolving around parental anxiety that isn’t present in the game, giving the film a unique angle in the process. However, this idea only feels partially achieved in execution, as it relies on the same elements to reinforce this theme over and over again, rarely going any further than the surface to explore this potentially interesting topic in confines of a horror setting.
It is also worth mentioning that, because of the game’s simplicity, there’s only so far the film can go with said premise. As previously stated, Kawamura and co try to explore bold avenues within the conceptual restrictions, but on more than one occasion, the film does feel as if it’s struggling to justify itself and keep things moving. With an idea like this, shorter is definitely better, as the game so confidently proves and coming in at around 90 minutes, it’s evident the film is attempting to stick to that same approach. The fact that it still appears thinly stretched despite its short runtime backs this up and is something a 60-minute short film could have possibly avoided.
If you’re looking for a scary video game adaptation that effortlessly translates what makes the original work to the big screen, then Exit 8 is for you. Though it has a few shortcomings, it still delivers on a disturbing ride that won’t disappoint.
Verdict
Exit 8 is a truly unsettling ride that stays incredibly faithful to its source material from start to finish. There are a few occasions where it struggles to keep itself going whilst sticking to its simple premise, but there’s no denying that this is a film that succeeds more than it fails.
⭐⭐⭐.5
