Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)
7.9
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Two benign hillbillies, Tucker and Dale, move to a remote cabin where they are mistaken for...
Voltron: Legendary Defender - Season 1
10.0
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VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER is set in a future in which a malevolent force named Emperor Zarkan...
The Boss (2016)
5.7
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The Boss is a 2016 American comedy film directed by Ben Falcone and written by Falcone, Melissa...
Grand Star
5.0
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"Grand Star", formerly known as "Ice Corp.", is a futuristic, action-adventure series based on the...
New Amsterdam
8.3
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Dr. Max Goodwin is brilliant, charming -- and the new medical director at America's oldest public...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Escape Room (2019) in Movies
Sep 15, 2020
It's disappointing because I found myself unexpectedly enjoying the bulk of the movie, even if it doesn't carry a lot of substance.
It's a more recent entry into the currently popular and seemingly unending PG-13 corner of horror. This of course means little in the way of gore or scares, something that I would usually take issue with, but managed to get on board with in this instance.
The set up is resemblant of Saw, but the later films in that franchise are evidence that more gore certainly doesn't make for a better film. With the focus here not being on violence but the actual puzzles the characters have to work through, I found it to be fairly engaging.
The set pieces and room designs are imaginative, and a lot of these moments are suitably tense.
The cast are decent as well - Taylor Russell, Tyler Labine and Nik Dodani are likeable, and I always enjoy Deborah Ann Woll whenever she pops up in things.
My main gripe however is the plot. The premise is really straightforward, not much room for error in that respect, so the inclusion of a faceless Hostel-esque corporation who caters to rich people who profit from this whole thing is just dumb. It's feels lazy, unnecessary, and more than anything, really tacked on and rushed. The ending flies by in an attempt to hastily set up a sequel rather than focusing on ending this film in a satisfying manner. It's a real shame because the majority of the film is relatively entertaining, and the climax just de-rails it completely.
Escape Room is worth watching for the Saw meets Cube premise, but ultimately ends up being a bang average thriller.