No Exit (2022) Review

 "It's going to be a long night."
-Ed 



On her way to visit her mother in the hospital, Darby (Havana Rose Liu) is forced to stop at a rural visitor center when a brutal blizzard shuts down the roads.  Soon after, Darby discovers a kidnapping victim in one of the cars and realizes that she can't trust any of the other people stranded along with her.


What Works:

I love movies about people who are all stuck in one location for the entire movie.  It's probably my favorite sub-genre.  We have a group of characters stuck with a problem, and to make things even better, apart from our protagonist, we can't trust any of them.  No Exit is right up my alley with a fantastic premise.

It gets even better because it's not just the people we have to look out for.  No Exit has mother nature as a element as well.  The wind is constantly howling and the blizzard is fierce.  This movie makes you feel cold thanks to an effectively chilly atmosphere.

Havana Rose Liu does a great job as our protagonist.  She's an interesting character because she is a recovering drug addict who just escaped from rehab.  Plus she has her whole family drama as a subplot that makes you feel really bad for her.  She's a likable, interesting character, but has some flaws.  She's the perfect protagonist for a movie like this and Liu gives a great perfromance.

Finally, the movie has plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing.  I won't say anything more, but it definitely hooked me in.


What Sucks:

I would say the movie is a bit too long, especially as we get into the 3rd act.  It got a little repetative near the end and had one very stupid moment.  If that had been cut, it definitely would have helped the script and the pacing.

Finally, I wish the movie had done a bit more with its location.  Sure, typically there isn't much to visitor centers, but I feel like the movie could have explored the setting a bit more. 


Verdict:

No Exit is a fun thrill ride with a great lead character, excellent atmosphere, and an engaging story.  It's a little long and could have done more with its setting, but it has still got it going on.

 8/10: Really Good 

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