We’re ten days away from our destination. Before I get to the review, I wanted you to check out the book I released last season, Karnevel.
Premise: Six people unwittingly find themselves locked in another series of escape rooms, slowly uncovering what they have in common to survive — and discovering they’ve all played the game before. (Google)
What I Liked: What I remember about the first film was how similar it was to an actually escape room experience. Escape Rooms invite you into their puzzles and asks you to question everything. Our protagonists are drawn into room after room solving puzzles that could come from an actual game, minus the seeming demise of all unlucky characters.
With that in mind, the survivors of the first film, Zoey (Taylor Russell) and Ben (Logan Miller) find themselves in another game with other former ‘winners’. So the stakes have to be bigger. The formula is the same and it plays out with great affect.
I appreciated the ways characters developed as the film unfolded. The writers definitely thought of some organic ways to develop characters and give them satisfying arcs (even when its disappointing).
There’s a sick joy in watching our players play the game and figure it out. As a viewer it almost makes me feel as if I’m in on it too.
I also love the dude-in-distressed theme that re-emerges in this film. Looking at you Ben. This gender-flip plays with the damsel-in-distress trope. Dude-in-distressed doesn’t happen a lot on film. It should because its fun to watch and breaks a norm, and bad-ass chics doing bad ass things is good on any screen.
What I Didn’t Like: I honestly can’t think of anything. If I have to nitpick, I recalled the original/prequel ending as a plane was hijacked for the game, promising a sequel. In this sequel we start in a therapist office, as if that whole scene didn’t exist. That jump was never explained (unless I’m a dunce and it went over my head) .
What I will caution Sony and Columbia pictures not to do is turn this into a never ending series ala Saw. Escape Room was and is a surprise sleeper hit, but the story will need to come to a natural end. I can’t fathom this formula will continue to work film after film.
Verdict: Then again… bring on all the nonsensical plot and puzzles. It pure action. It’s body horror and suspenseful. I definitely recommend watching it this season.