No Escape

No Escape is an intense adrenaline-fueled 2020 horror-thriller film directed by Will Wernick. It brings together a fantastic ensemble cast that includes Keegan Allen, known for his role in “Pretty Little Liars”, Holland Roden who is popular from “Teen Wolf”, and Denzel Whitaker who has made a name for himself in movies like “Black Panther” and “The Great Debaters”.

In this nerve-racking film, set amidst a backdrop compounding real-world technologies with the realm of digital escapades, Keegan Allen plays the lead role as a social media influencer who has built a successful career by documenting his daredevil travels and experiences worldwide in search of the extreme. His character, Cole, borderlines on the obsessed and reckless, and the film really capitalizes on the validation culture and the constant drive for content creation that is unique to our era.

As the story goes, to celebrate the milestone of his career, his friends surprise him with an unusual birthday gift - a trip that promises a singular combination of joy, thrill, and a lifetime experience. They embark on a journey to Moscow with the promise of a one-of-a-kind escape room adventure that is supposed to be more life-altering than anything they’ve ever experienced.

Holland Roden does a tremendous job as Erin, Cole’s girlfriend, fleshing out a character who is supportive, adventurous yet somewhat skeptical of their trip to Moscow. Despite their initial excitement, the group starts feeling uneasy when they arrive at the shady, off-the-beaten-path location for their escape room experience.

The film quickly escalates as the escape room’s sinister nature is revealed. The line between life and death is blurred as the group is forced to play a horrifying game that is way beyond their comprehension and expectation. Each room of the escape game gets darker and perilous, escalating beyond the psychological and into real physical danger. Denzel Whitaker shines in his supporting role as Thomas, lending a gravity and depth to the group's dynamics.

Tension, suspense, and the race against the timer is a classic trope used in the horror-thriller genre, and No Escape does a fantastic job of utilizing these elements. The plot twists come at the viewer fast, diving beyond the spectrum of typical escape room puzzles to include a diabolical web of sinister threats. The film repeatedly addresses how much people are willing to do and the extent to which they go for an online audience. This includes performing dangerous and life-threatening stunts, something the protagonist and his crew are forced to do if they wish to survive their horrific predicament.

Will Wernick’s direction and the film’s screenplay render a fascinating critique on social media culture, the pitfalls of fame, and the dangerous lengths people can go to for views and likes. The sequences are well-crafted, often blurring the lines between reality and online showmanship, asking the audience to question what you see and how much of it is actually real. The suspense element is repeatedly ramped up to a point where the audience is left to wonder what horror awaits in the next room, maintaining interest until the very end.

The cinematography is slick, providing a real sense of the characters’ rising fear and desperation as they navigate the treacherous game set up by their captors. The set designs are inventive, filled with surprises that amplify the tension while adding to the unnerving atmosphere.

No Escape expertly blends the genres of thriller and horror to create an incredibly intense, fast-paced film. The cast's performances, coupled with the ingenious set design and thought-provoking narrative, make it a memorable addition to the expansive library of psychological horror-thriller films. It a must-watch for fans of the genre as well as anyone who enjoys a thrilling story that provides a critique on society's obsessions with social media and fame.