Exit 8 Film Review: Japanese Horror Game Adaptation Stays in Endless Loop

The Japanese indie game 'Exit 8' has been adapted into a feature film by Genki Kawamura, following the success of 'Backrooms' and the trend of studios mining internet memes and indie games for film franchises. The film, starring Kazunari Ninomiya, remains extremely faithful to the source material, even starting in first-person perspective. However, as the protagonist becomes trapped in the underground endless loop, the camera angle shifts, and the adaptation proves to be a successful tightrope act. Kawamura adds an emotional backstory and an antichronological structure, providing just enough new elements for the film to work as a standalone piece, while still spending the full 90 minutes inside the impossible subway station, maintaining tension throughout. Simple but effective horror scenes and an intense, nearly wordless performance by Ninomiya contribute to the film's appeal. The film even manages a thematic overlay and an emotional ending. Ultimately, the economy and elegance of the adaptation impress more than any jump scares. The first inevitable flop of the new horror movement is still yet to come.