31/03/2026

LYFE TUESDAY | MAR 31, 2026

25

MOVIE REVIEW

No exit from infinite loop

o Exit 8 turns repetition, silence into guilt-driven horror

that keeps it engaging. Each loop functions like a “spot the difference” puzzle, where small inconsistencies signal danger. The audience is encouraged to pay attention to every detail, scanning each frame for anything that feels off. It creates a different kind of tension. Instead of waiting for a jump scare, you are actively looking for something wrong before it is too late. The real fear comes from progression. The idea that you can make it further, only to fail and be sent back to zero, is what drives most of the anxiety. It is a simple mechanic, but it works. The film also makes a strong choice with its sound design. There is almost no background music for most of the runtime. The silence adds to the sense of isolation and makes the corridor feel even more oppressive. Frustrating horror logic That said, some of the scares and anomalies feel questionable. There are moments where the protagonist clearly notices something is wrong, yet chooses to continue forward instead of turning back immediately. In situations where lights go out or alarms start blaring, the natural reaction would be to run. He does not. This falls into familiar horror logic. If the character made smarter decisions, there would not be much of a movie. It is understandable, but still noticeable.

Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI

G ENKI Kawamura’s Exit 8 is a very odd horror film. It is not particularly scary in a traditional sense, but it is consistently unsettling. The fear comes less from what is shown and more from what is unknown, building into something closer to an existential dread than outright horror. The story follows The Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya) who fails to speak up for a mother and her child being berated on a train. Shortly after, he gets into a difficult call with his recently broken up girlfriend and learns she is pregnant. Already overwhelmed, he suddenly finds himself trapped in an infinite underground corridor. From there, he slowly figures out the rules of the space, but the corridor is never as straightforward as it seems. Spot-the-difference tension Much of the film involves the protagonist walking through the same corridor over and over again. This repetition can feel fatiguing at times, and some viewers may struggle with the pacing. However, the film introduces a clear gimmick

Exit 8 is based on a 2023 indie game that challenged players to spot subtle anomalies in an endless underground passage.

Another issue is more practical. The protagonist is clearly asthmatic and depends on his inhaler, yet he keeps it in his backpack, which is often difficult to access. There are multiple moments where he struggles to retrieve it. It raises a simple question. Why not just keep it in his pocket? responsibility A large part of the film seems to revolve around children and parenthood. The protagonist is clearly afraid of becoming a father, and his earlier failure to stand up for the child on the train ties directly into that fear. Other characters reinforce this idea. The Walking Man, who appears repeatedly in the corridor, is revealed to be someone who abandoned a child in an attempt to escape. He is now stuck as part of the loop, suggesting a kind of punishment. The Boy is another key figure. He starts off quiet and mysterious, but becomes more important as the film progresses. There is an underlying question of whether he represents the protagonist’s future child, or a Themes of children and

When The Walking Man suddenly smiles and stares, it signals an anomaly, breaking his otherwise fixed routine.

overall sense of unease.

version of what happens if he refuses to take responsibility. The film does not give clear answers, but the connections are there. questions The number eight itself carries meaning. Its shape resembles infinity, which reflects the looping nature of the corridor. It is also considered a positive number in Japanese and Chinese culture, often associated with growth and prosperity. Here, that idea seems tied to children and the idea of building a future. There are also several elements that remain unclear. The teenage girl’s presence is never fully explained. The flood sequence, which visually recalls the elevator of blood scene in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), introduces imagery that feels significant but is not fully unpacked. The corridor itself seems to exist outside of normal time, raising questions about whether different timelines or realities are overlapping. The film leaves many of these ideas open, which may frustrate some viewers. At the same time, it adds to the Symbolism and unanswered

Game adaptation approach Based on the original game, Exit 8 takes a more psychological and restrained approach. The game relies more on jump scares and creatures, while the film focuses on atmosphere and theme. It expands a simple concept into something more reflective. It is also part of a growing trend of horror films adapted from indie video games, following the success of the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise, alongside projects such as Iron Lung and the upcoming The Mortuary Assistant and Backrooms . Exit 8 stands out by staying true to the core idea of the game while pushing it in a more psychological and mature direction. Verdict Exit 8 is not a conventional horror film. It is slow, repetitive and often ambiguous. But it is also effective in creating a specific kind of tension built on observation and uncertainty. It may not scare everyone, but it will leave an impression.

The Lost Man is never given a real name, reinforcing his role as a stand-in for the audience.

0 Director: Genki Kawamura 0 Cast: Kazunari Ninomiya,

Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, Nana Komatsu. E-VALUE 7 ACTING 8 PLOT 7

The boy often notices what the Lost Man misses, subtly reversing the expected dynamic. – ALL PICS FROM IMDB