No Exit

 

“No Exit” (2022 release; 95 min.) is a thrilling movie directed by Damien Power based on Taylor Adams’ novel of the same name. The film introduces us to Darby, a young woman in rehab who makes her escape to be with her sick mother. However, she gets stranded at a remote visitors center during a blizzard with four other people. The initial 30 minutes are slow, but the movie picks up pace and kicks into second gear.

The movie was originally intended for a theatrical release but got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually pulled from the schedule altogether. It recently started airing on Hulu, where I watched it. If you’re in the mood for a scary kidnapping drama/thriller, I’d suggest checking this out and drawing your own conclusion.

The movie has an intriguing atmosphere that creates suspense and cognitive scenario building. The camera angles bring intensity to the environment, but the horror element could have been more terrifying. The plot is simple but provides satisfying twists and turns, making it engaging despite some missing emotional weight.

The script mirrors elements of “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Clue,” which is both positive and negative as it doesn’t fill out enough to create significant consequences. The characters aren’t drawn out enough, especially Lars and Ash, whose relationship could have added depth to their motivations. Sandi and Ed had more dialogue between them, allowing us to understand their dynamic better.

Despite these issues, Havana Rose Liu delivers an exquisite performance as Darby Thorne. Her portrayal of an addict is believable and adds motivation to her character development throughout the film. Liu uses inner pain to display a broken character that resonates with viewers. Overall, “No Exit” is engaging with an intriguing plot but lacks emotional weight due to underdeveloped characters and missed thematic consequences in some areas of the script.

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