A Surprisingly Effective Thriller
No Exit is a thriller that does well in building tension and has a tight-knit ensemble and a simple but engaging story.
The twist in this thriller is a bit too many for my taste, but it’s still a serviceable thriller.
Darby’s mother is in the hospital with a brain aneurysm. Darby decides to go to the hospital and steal a car to make it there. Unfortunately, a blizzard forces her to take refuge at an isolated highway rest stop, high up in the mountains. ..
Darby meets a group of questionable characters while on her travels. Ed, Lars, Ash, and Sandi are all former military personnel who have since left the life behind them for different reasons. ..
Darby is horrified when she discovers a van parked outside with a little girl inside, bound and gagged. She knows that this kidnapping is the work of someone on their team, but who? ..
Darby is trying to figure out who is telling the truth in this tense game of cat and mouse. There is an ironic game of “Bullshit” thrown in the middle of all this, with the game working surprisingly well to call out character bluffs and show who’s good at telling the truth - and who’s not. ..
The story picks up around the midway point, with a couple of well-worked twists that help to up the ante. The protagonist tries to outsmart the killer, and does so in increasingly ambitious and risky ways. ..
The ending of this movie feels like it could be pointing in a certain direction, but there are also a lot of questions left unanswered. I found the overall message to be all over the shop, and I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not.
Despite a few hiccups in the third act, there is actually a lot of tension that is nurtured throughout the movie and builds up to a lovely little climax. ..
The film is decent, and should make for a good Friday night flick. ..
No Exit is a gripping, suspenseful thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The premise is simple but effective, and the characters are well-drawn and compelling. You will be unable to put it down, and will be eager to learn more about the story.
