Written and directed by Genki Kawamura, who co-wrote the screenplay with Kentaro Hirase, Exit 8 is a Japanese psychological thriller based on the video game by Kotake Create. The story of both the game and the movie follows a “Lost Man” as he navigates major changes in his life. He receives a call from his ex-girlfriend, who informs him that she is currently at a hospital getting ready to give birth to their child. Young and flummoxed by his current situation, the Lost Man must decide what his next decision is.
When he receives the phone call, his first instinct is to avoid his problem, and he does so while using the subway system in Japan. Looking for a quick exit from the subway and his life, he finds that fate has something else in mind for him. As he tries to get out of the underground subway’s catacombs, he soon discovers there is no way out unless he follows certain rules. What results is a psychological journey that puts his wits and fears to the test.
As I witnessed the journey of the Lost Man and what he faces, I initially loved the concept. I saw much brilliance in the concept and some of the ideas and challenges; however, in the film adaptation of this game, I feel it lacked more dynamic changes and challenges. There is often a certain repetitive nature to video games, or games in general, but this doesn’t always work on a cinematic level. Audiences definitely need more exciting surprises and bigger changes to keep them invested in the story and its character development. It is one thing to be challenged while playing a video game, but it is an entirely different matter to passively watch someone play. And that is exactly what this film’s experience is like. This film needed more meat in its script to make the Lost Man’s situation more grave and challenging.o appreciate the references and nods to the source material, but for this movie to appeal on a broader level, it falls somewhat short.
On the positive side, the sets, cinematography, and art design work well. The small cast also gave great performances. I just wanted more dramatic challenges to their journey.
To be fair, I have never played the Exit 8 game, and I am sure its fans will appreciate the filmmaker’s reverence for the material. Its source material is something altogether different, and this film just doesn’t quite make it there.