DVD Corner

Exit 8 Blu-ray Review

“Exit 8” is inherently repetitive, but effective.

Based on the hit video game by Kotake Create, “Exit 8” is a feature film adaptation from writers Kentaro Hirase and Genki Kawamura. The Toho/Neon production revolves around a nameless young man (referred to as The Lost Man) on a subway. He’s a bit lost in life and his indecisions hold him back. He doesn’t stop a jackass from verbally berating a mother and child on the subway and he doesn’t know what to say to his ex-girlfriend who calls him and tells him she’s having his child. In the middle of the call, The Lost Man finds himself stuck in a nightmarish corridor loop. After inspecting and discovering instructions, he learns that he has to make his way from Exit 0 to Exit 8. If he encounters an anomaly, he has to go back the way he came. If he doesn’t encounter an anomaly, he must move forward in order to make progress. In this loop, he encounters creepy anomalies (blood and a flood) and 3 individuals known as The Walking Man, The Boy and The High School Girl. Can The Lost Man make it out of this maze?

Liminal horror such as “Backrooms” is all the rage these days. The horror genre about spaces and places has really resonated with viewers of all ages. The unsettling Japanese video game adaptation “Exit 8” from director Genki Kawamura is one of the genre’s latest offerings.

Given that “Exit 8” is repetitive by nature, it may frustrate, wear out, and annoy some viewers which is perfectly understandable. Not every horror film is going to work for every person. If you go with the flow though, you’ll find that the cyclical nature of the story gets under your skin (along with the haunting score by Jimmy Liu). Sure, the metaphors about the mind, insecurities, decisions, routines, and feeling trapped may not be subtle, but this psychological horror film still has a lot to say about the mind and the human condition. It’s not a mindless gimmicky horror film at all. It can feel a bit exhausting in the end given the journey that The Lost Man and the audience have endured it, but the ending feels earned.

“Exit 8” is also effective as a video game adaptation in that it really puts the viewer in the perspective of the Lost Man (superbly played by Kazunari Ninomiya). He’s the audience’s way into this story. If you aren’t involved in his story the movie would not work.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.85:1 1080p. How does it look? Expect a sharp hi-def transfer.

Audio Track: Japanese 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? While perhaps a tad low, this is a satisfactory track. 

Extras include an “Exit 8,” “I Love Boosters,” and “Hokum” trailers, “The Making Of Exit 8” (an hour long making of which contains crew interviews about adapting the game into a film, behind-the-scenes footage, creative choice discussions, and much more), and a 12 minute Q&A With Writer/Director Genki Kawamura, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Yamato Kôchi from the Busan International Film Festival.

July 22, 2026 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Exit 8, Exit 8 Blu-ray Review, Exit 8 Movie, Horror Movie, Japanese Film, Liminal Horror, Neon Films, Video Game Movie