Exit 8 review — you’ll never look at subway tunnels the same way after watching this tense horror movie

Exit 8 is the latest horror game to screen adaptation, joining A24’s Backrooms in championing liminal spaces and how terrifying they can be. Fans of the short game by Kotake Create will likely be surprised by just how effective Exit 8 is, bringing the story to life on screen.

Unlike the Exit 8 game, the movie does have more of a plot to give it some substance, and we immediately become invested in our protagonist, known simply as The Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya).

As he gets off a train, he receives a phone call from his girlfriend to tell him she is pregnant, something that fills him with anxiety as he is unsure if he is fit to be a father. He plans on meeting her at the hospital, so he advances through subway tunnels to get there. This is where he remains trapped for the majority of the movie.

It doesn’t take long for The Lost Man to realize he is stuck in a loop, and learns he must identify “anomalies” if he wants to escape. If he sees an anomaly, he must turn back. If none are present, he can continue on until he reaches Exit 8. It sounds simple enough, but it’s anything but.

The Lost Man sometimes struggles to tell what is an anomaly and what isn’t, and this also becomes a fun task for us as an audience. Can we spot the anomaly before he does? Are we sure it is one? This can be anything from an incorrect sign to a fellow commuter standing motionless and grinning, instead of walking on by. If you’ve played the game, you will recognize many of them.

Yamato Kochi makes an impression here as a commuter turned terrifying horror character. This anomaly is particularly memorable from the game, and he goes on to play an even bigger role here, with a backstory of his own.

Director and co-writer Genki Kawamura, along with his writing partner Kentaro Hirase, have really expanded on the game’s concept across the board. This gives the story more substance instead of just watching a character loop around and around; we really get more insight into who these people are and how they got here.

The movie does not rely heavily on jump scares; there are perhaps four or five, instead, it plays on feelings of dread and uncertainty. Mirroring the way first-person camera moves in video games, we follow The Lost Man as he peeks around corners and turns around, and it’s not knowing what the camera will pan to that’s the scariest thing of all.

There are, sadly, some pacing issues. The game has a short play time, with some streamers finishing it in 30 minutes, so some viewers may feel that there are moments where the movie drags on a bit too much. But its effective set design and interesting characters do make up for that.

Exit 8‘s ending may not stick the landing. I can see it being quite divisive, but I personally did enjoy how it drew to a close. This is one of the most faithful game adaptations I’ve seen, and it’s going to have me looking at subway tunnels in a whole new way.

This movie will leave a lasting impression on you and is a welcome addition to this influx of liminal space horror movies. Long may they continue, if you ask me.