Synopsis:
20th Century Studios’ suspense thriller “No Exit” is the story of Darby Thorne, a young woman en route to a family emergency who is stranded by a blizzard and forced to find shelter at a highway rest area with a group of strangers. When she stumbles across an abducted girl in a van in the parking lot, it sets her on a terrifying lifeor-death struggle to discover who among them is the kidnapper
Trust in your instincts. Not are they usually right, but they have been helping humans survive for thousands of years. On multiple occasions, we’ve all at some point thought to ourselves or said out loud, I should’ve gone with my gut, I second-guessed myself, or the classic, I knew it was one. For whatever reason, we tend to fight against our better judgment. We always know what decisions we want to make but then we overthink, overcorrect, and end up disappointed. If I’ve learned anything in my 34 years of life, it’s to trust your gut even in the scariest and most stressful situations, thank me and yourself later. It’s how I became a critic.
“Everybody’s got a tell.”
The more tangible it feels, the tenser it becomes. Directed by Damien Power, No Exit is a suspenseful showcase of human capability. Despite the film’s tone, score, and aesthetic, this is a heroic, albeit dark tale of fate, coincidence, and selflessness. Taking on themes of child abduction and human trafficking, it also touches on drug abuse, gambling addiction, and adolescent trauma. While some aspects are mentioned, they’re not completely fleshed out or necessary. This is not an overly complicated story. Instead, it’s a thiller of quick thinking, unflinching bravery, and high stakes. As we, along with Darby, try to suss out who could be so despicable as to abduct a child, it becomes a hurried game of whodunit combined with cat and mouse. The story attempts to put us in a situation that we could all easily find ourselves in and how most of us like to think that we would respond. Not only is Darby trying to overcome her drug problem but also this unforeseen and potentially very dangerous predicament. Based on a novel of the same name by Taylor Adams, the film is very human and sadly ever relevant. It feels as if it was ripped from the headlines. While not overly deep and an easy watch, the story shows us the mettle of the everyday person. The film wastes no time getting to the point and is able to quickly build a nice level of suspense. I enjoyed the twists, they’re not quite predictable, however, the ending wasn’t as satisfying as it could’ve been. While No Exit doesn’t necessarily add anything new to the thriller genre, its grounded nature feels refreshing. It’s a fun Friday night flick, I had some fun with it. Its rewatchability is medium.
Pacing & Pop
The pacing of this film is brisker than I expected. It definitely lends itself to the build-up of tension. What popped for me was the twists. While a fraction of it was predictable, I didn’t see it all coming. It definitely makes you think about the strangers you encounter on an average day.
Characters & Chemistry
Starring: Havana Rose Liu, Danny Ramirez, David Rysdahl, Dale Dickey, Mila Harris, Dennis Haysbert
Unfortunately, this is a film that is set up for any performance to really shine. Not to mention, there really aren’t enough opportunities to build chemistry that matters. There’s a small amount of chemistry between Darby (Havana Rose Liu) and Ash (Danny Ramirez), however, it’s incredibly momentary. Where they do succeed, however, is playing their cards close to the vest. You’re never quite sure who is responsible for the kidnapping besides one glaring clue.
No Exit premieres on February 25, 2022, as a Hulu Original in the U.S. and internationally as an Original on Disney+ under the Star banner and Star+ in Latin America. Stay safe and enjoy.
Director: Damien Power
Writers: Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari
Based on: Novel by Taylor Adams
Producer: Scott Frank
Director of Photography: Simon Raby
Rated: R
Runtime: 1h 35m
Rating: 3 out of 5
Senior Critic. Observing the human race since 1988.
