Let's be honest: no one is watching this movie with crazy expectations. If you're expecting a decent thriller under the condition that you suspend all belief, that's exactly what you're going to get with this movie. It's nothing amazing here but it did have potential to get a full 7 stars had it not been for a lazy plot twist involving the character Jason.
All of the characters throughout the movie are revealed to have been sole survivors in freak accidents that killed everyone else involved. Jason, for example, was lost in the middle of the ocean with his roommate. It is revealed in the third act that Jason killed his roommate so that he could have a better chance of surviving. Revealing Jason to be a psychopath works well as a plot twist out of context but in the context of the movie it was lazily done.
Jason wasn't shown the be the greatest guy of the bunch. In fact, he quickly shrugged off a couple deaths before the villainous reveal but he also had moments of consideration. It's assumed that he killed his roommate so that he wouldn't have to share a winter jacket under freezing conditions but during the game he had no qualms with sharing the winter jacket. There was also a room where the movie's lead, Zoey, nearly died had she not been saved by Jason who risked his life for her. I guess the hints to his true character was his ability to shake off the deaths of complete strangers.
And while I'm on the discussion of complete strangers, you have to love a movie that spells out just how dispensable their characters are. The movie starts with introductions to Zoey, Jason, and Ben living their everyday lives before entering the escape room. Then, once they go into the escape room, the movie introduces three other characters who come from nowhere. You know right away that those three are going to die for sure just based on the fact that they appeared from thin air.
During the beginning of the third act, Zoey decides to fight back by destroying all of the cameras in a room that's designed to poison the players. I loved that the lead decided to fight back instead of playing but, again, the execution was lazily done and absolutely depended on belief suspension. Zoey, under the effects of poison gas, faints to the ground, foaming at the mouth while she does so. A few scenes later, it's revealed that she used an oxygen mask from the ceiling to survive the gas attack. However, that scenario alone comes with many questions. Why would the game master even bother putting an oxygen mask in the room if he wants all of the players to die? And am I expected to believe that Zoey got back up after *nearly (I suppose)* choking to death?
And then there's also that big brother element that lacks any realism. Everything in the building that supported the impossible escape rooms disappeared in the matter of a few hours. If I was foolish enough to believe that an enormous crew could dismantle six escape rooms in a few hours then it still wouldn't explain the willingness for everyone involved. It relies on Purge logic in that there are millions of people who are into observing and creating violence.
All of that said, it ended on a great note where Zoey is trying to hunt down the game master. It actually has me very interested in a sequel; assuming we get to see more of Zoey being a vengeful badass.
All of the characters throughout the movie are revealed to have been sole survivors in freak accidents that killed everyone else involved. Jason, for example, was lost in the middle of the ocean with his roommate. It is revealed in the third act that Jason killed his roommate so that he could have a better chance of surviving. Revealing Jason to be a psychopath works well as a plot twist out of context but in the context of the movie it was lazily done.
Jason wasn't shown the be the greatest guy of the bunch. In fact, he quickly shrugged off a couple deaths before the villainous reveal but he also had moments of consideration. It's assumed that he killed his roommate so that he wouldn't have to share a winter jacket under freezing conditions but during the game he had no qualms with sharing the winter jacket. There was also a room where the movie's lead, Zoey, nearly died had she not been saved by Jason who risked his life for her. I guess the hints to his true character was his ability to shake off the deaths of complete strangers.
And while I'm on the discussion of complete strangers, you have to love a movie that spells out just how dispensable their characters are. The movie starts with introductions to Zoey, Jason, and Ben living their everyday lives before entering the escape room. Then, once they go into the escape room, the movie introduces three other characters who come from nowhere. You know right away that those three are going to die for sure just based on the fact that they appeared from thin air.
During the beginning of the third act, Zoey decides to fight back by destroying all of the cameras in a room that's designed to poison the players. I loved that the lead decided to fight back instead of playing but, again, the execution was lazily done and absolutely depended on belief suspension. Zoey, under the effects of poison gas, faints to the ground, foaming at the mouth while she does so. A few scenes later, it's revealed that she used an oxygen mask from the ceiling to survive the gas attack. However, that scenario alone comes with many questions. Why would the game master even bother putting an oxygen mask in the room if he wants all of the players to die? And am I expected to believe that Zoey got back up after *nearly (I suppose)* choking to death?
And then there's also that big brother element that lacks any realism. Everything in the building that supported the impossible escape rooms disappeared in the matter of a few hours. If I was foolish enough to believe that an enormous crew could dismantle six escape rooms in a few hours then it still wouldn't explain the willingness for everyone involved. It relies on Purge logic in that there are millions of people who are into observing and creating violence.
All of that said, it ended on a great note where Zoey is trying to hunt down the game master. It actually has me very interested in a sequel; assuming we get to see more of Zoey being a vengeful badass.
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