Welcome one and all to part 25 of my weekly blog, The 52 In 52. The concept is simple, I have a sizeable collection of DVDs and Blu Rays that sometimes sit on the shelf and gather dust. Every week for the entire year I will pick one film at random and review it. Last week I did two reviews The Shawshank Redemption and Always Be My Maybe.
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Escape Room was directed by Adam Robitel (Insidious: The Last Key) and stars amongst others Taylor Russell (Lost In Space), Logan Miller (Ultimate Spider-Man), Deborah Ann-Woll (Daredevil, True Blood) and Tyler Labine (Tucker And Dale Vs. Evil). The story follows 6 unsuspecting recipients of a mysterious puzzle box that contains an invite to an escape room. When they arrive they realise that there might be more than a little harmless fun within the walls of the labyrinth like building.
I really enjoyed Escape Room from the opening scenes. I couldn't help but, make comparisons to the SAW franchise and also a film that I have previously reviewed Cube. The story is told in a great way that kept me guessing right up until the last scene. There is very little in the way of character development until a little further into the film which I really enjoyed as it didn't allow me to build opinions on characters. The one issue I did have was that when the development of that characters back story was implemented into the story it was done sparsely and almost as an after thought. I understand why this was done but, it was a little frustrating at times. The ending was really well executed and honestly had me surprised what I did have issue with is that there is a little prologue tacked on to the end of the film that does little more than set up an announced sequel.
The set design for Escape Room was done to such a high quality that it was impressive that the film was made on such a small budget. Each room was designed with such attention to detail and were visually pleasing. There was no room that I felt were any weaker or less entertaining and after watching the extras on the disc I gained a bigger appreciation for the set design and just how much focus was put on each room without losing any quality in story telling.
The performances in Escape Room were all really entertaining but, it is the strength of performances by Taylor Russell and Logan Miller that stand out. Russell begins the film as a quiet, bookish character that is vulnerable to almost frustrating levels but, as the story develops she becomes a strong and engaging lead character. Miller similarly begins as a snarky, sardonic character but, as the story unfolds there is a lot more vulnerability added to his character. The one issue I had was that there was less development for the supporting cast and in particular Deborah Ann-Woll who is a real high point to the film.
Overall Escape Room is a refreshing take on an existing concept. The set design and character work are real high points even if the character development is a little lacking. Escape Room shows real promise for a hopefully developing film series.
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