Exit 8 is the type of movie that will leave you questioning reality well after the credits roll. Keep reading to find out more.
I’ve never actually played the video game Exit 8 is based upon, though I’ve seen enough gameplay videos on YouTube that I understand the premise of the game. When I saw last week that a film adaptation had been made in Japan, I knew I had to check it out.
Exit 8
Directed by: Genki Kawamura
Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi
Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, Nana KomatsuRelease Date: April 10, 2026 (North America)
As just stated, Exit 8 is based on the 2023 indie video game The Exit 8, developed and published by Kotake Create. The story of both film and video game sees the protagonist stuck in a subway tunnel that endlessly loops, seemingly without rhyme or reason, all while a sign points to Exit 8, the way out.
In the movie adaptation of Exit 8, the story is split among several narrative threads but it primarily follows The Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya) as he becomes caught up in the loop en route to meet his ex-girlfriend at the hospital. After walking the loop several times, The Lost Man discovers the “rules” to breaking out back into the real world.
The rules, as The Lost Man slowly learns, are simple:
- Don’t overlook any anomalies.
- If you encounter an anomaly, turn back immediately.
- If there are no anomalies, proceed forward.
- Leave at Exit 8.
These are the exact same rules as in the video game and while they seem absurdly simple to follow, much of the film’s runtime is devoted to showing off how even the smallest difference counts as an anomaly. Not only that, but the closer The Lost Man comes to reaching Exit 8, the more frightening the anomalies become.
During the many repetitions of the loop, the director expands on the story with a sub-plot about fatherhood and what it means to be a responsible parent in an age when technology seemingly controls every aspect of our existence. It provides some touching moments, but I personally had a hard time connecting it to the overall story.
Perhaps this is just personal preference, but I didn’t find Exit 8 to be particularly frightening. It would be more accurate to say I found the film to be unnerving. The moment The Lost Man rounds the corner to the original hallway contains a musical cue that repeats so frequently I was subconsciously thinking of it before the notes even sounded by the end of the film.
It’s hard to put into words, but there’s something about being caught in an endless loop that does something odd to the human brain, even when you’re watching it happen to someone else on the screen. By the end of the film, I found myself questioning everything that was happening to The Lost Man. After everything that happens, I even questioned whether or not Exit 8 even ends on a happy note, though I choose to believe it does.
While I don’t think Exit 8 is the right film for me, it is a solid story and a pretty faithful adaptation of the original video game. If you’re a fan of the game, you’ll find a lot to like in this story.
