Another cash-in on the urban fad, superior to the earlier wretched entries and surprisingly entertaining for a rote studio entry. Despite flaws, this tight package of goofy thrills delivers more than its fair share of fun and never relents through to its closing frames. There’s an initially enjoyable mystery box element to proceedings as characters attempt to unravel creative deathtraps and uncover what connects the gathered participants. There is plenty of tension and great atmosphere throughout, but overall gore and scare free. The acting is all over the place, some earnestly serious while others gleefully camping it up, but everyone doing their best with stock characters who have one-note motivation and characterization. The writing is fairly clunky, but there’s a refreshing mix of humor that doesn’t detract from the overall tension. There’s plenty of predictability to the plot and order of demise, but the pacing flows briskly and direction is solid. The sets and rooms themselves look great, with a color palette more vibrant than most Blumhouse affairs and a distinct aesthetic for each of the various rooms. Production values are slick and past the incredulity that some of the traps inspire, the film mostly works. The movie stumbles a bit in the last act by offering explanations which are simultaneously grandiose and absurd with a lack of resolution begging for a sequel or franchise potential. On the whole an inoffensive and mostly forgettable popcorn flick that would probably best served combined as a drinking game.
Escape Room