By Betty Kaldas
Disclaimer: This review contains minor spoilers for the Exit 8 movie.
“Do not overlook any anomalies. If you find an anomaly, turn back immediately. If you do not find any anomalies, do not turn back. Go out from Exit 8.“
You stare dumbfounded at the set of instructions that seemingly appeared out of nowhere on the wall. After getting lost in what you thought was a familiar subway station, you find yourself stranded in an empty corridor, walking in an endless loop to no avail.
Such is the premise of the Japanese movie directed by Genki Kawamura, originally released on Aug. 29th, 2025. With a total runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes, the movie recently came to United States theaters on April 10th, 2026.
SYNOPSIS
Based on an indie game of the same name, it follows you as the person lost in the Japanese metro station as you attempt to identify probable differences in the small hallway. From the neatly lined posters to the blaring neon sign hanging from the ceiling to the stoic businessman walking by, any slight change that you miss will cost you your progress. Although released with English subtitles and Japanese audio only, the movie was an immediate hit among video game lovers, quickly becoming known as one of the most accurate video game adaptations to date.
The movie also begins in the first person, following a man simply referred to as “The Lost Man.” Through his eyes, we discover that he is on the subway on his way to a temporary job when he gets a call from his ex-girlfriend, who tells him that she is pregnant. He suffers through a panic attack, and his title appears on the screen as he slowly gets his bearings. The film focuses on his experience through the psychological and horrific events that take place in Exit 8, fueled by the decision of whether or not to keep the baby.
REVIEW
When I first saw this movie in theaters, I wasn’t expecting much. It is a simple concept and a short game, after all. I had watched the gameplay by many different people on YouTube and found the idea enjoyable and interesting. After I walked out of the theaters, I felt a variety of emotions I hadn’t anticipated feeling.
I had originally expected the movie to focus on the game’s psychological horror aspect: the disorienting quiet of the subway station hallway paired with the dull, unaltered environment randomly interspersed with tame changes that grow into frightening abnormalities would have been enough for me. I would have settled for a typical psychological horror movie, but instead, I was confronted with something much different.
With the introduction of The Lost Man came a situation with a woman on the subway. As the man stands minding his own business just like everyone else, an agitated shout comes from a young man in a suit clearly headed to work. He is shouting at a woman sitting down holding a crying baby. Although the baby’s cries pierce the intense silence of the subway car, nobody seems to pay any mind to the woman or the man berating her. The Lost Man is no different, as he throws a thoughtful glance at the situation but makes no effort to intervene. This scene started the movie and ended it, as the man eventually comes full circle once he makes it out of the brightly lit corridor he spends the majority of the movie in.
I believe this scene anchors the entire movie, and not just because it serves as the hardback cover that opens and closes the film. When witnessing the woman on the subway being yelled at by the man, the Lost Man is not conflicted on what he should do. He simply puts his AirPod back into his ear, once again silencing the sound of the baby’s crying.
Once he is off the subway and receives the news that stuns him, he realizes that he isn’t ready to become a father yet. He later confesses this realization while crying to his ex-girlfriend on the phone while stuck in Exit 8.
Aside from the obvious themes of psychological horror, the film also explores themes of parental responsibility and the fear of commitment. Through The Lost Man and The Boy, we see the connection between a father and his son played out through the movie. While The Lost Man internally believes that he is unprepared to become a father, he exhibits the exact traits a loving father would have if he were to make the decision to keep the baby. We witness these traits when he and The Boy face the tsunami anomaly, in which he raises The Boy above the murky flood waters and settles him on top of the neon yellow exit sign, sacrificing himself in the process.
In the film, we also see a parallel drawn between The Lost Man and The Walking Man. The Walking Man believes he is ready to become a father, as it is revealed he was supposed to meet his newborn son for the first time until he got stuck in the Exit 8 loop. As we watch him interact with The Boy, however, we see that he is really not ready to father a child. His actions show how egocentric and unsympathetic he is. The environment and the situation stresses him out, causing him to treat the boy carelessly.
After the film’s U.S. release, many were against the themes presented in the film as they believed it to be anti-abortion propaganda. I strongly disagree with those opinions, as I viewed the film not as being anti-abortion, but rather focusing on the consequences of one’s actions and the responsibility that comes with it. The film was not only terrific in its horror aspect, as it accurately captured the disconcerting atmosphere of the vacated subway corridor, but also in its ability to tug at the heartstrings.
I found many scenes with The Boy heartwarming, as you are truly immersed in the emotional storyline. One such moment was when The Boy was fighting against The Lost Man to go to his mother, but is held back because the person he thinks is his mother is really an anomaly. I found this scene heartbreaking as well, as we realize the woman standing in front of them is the man’s ex-girlfriend from earlier, proving that the little boy is actually a hypothetical entity meant to test The Lost Man’s readiness to father a child.
Another theme that was deeply explored in the movie is the breaking of cycles within one’s life. The subway represents the mundane routines we all go through daily, whether that be our commute to school or work, and how numbed we become to our day-to-day behaviors. The Lost Man is going through the regular routine of going to work when he is suddenly met with a life-changing decision that he doesn’t know how to make. In his confusion and uncertainty, the loop of Exit 8 teaches him to slow down and pay attention to his surroundings. Similarly, we must also learn to break our destructive habits by deliberately taking our time to observe the changes in our daily lives.
Overall, I loved the movie and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. From the acting to the casting to the audio and sounds, everything in this movie perfectly exhibits the environment and atmosphere of the Exit 8 game. All my expectations were shattered in a good way, as I had expected a regular horror movie but was met with a cinematic life experience. Whether you’re interested in the game or have never heard of it before, I believe this movie can be watched and enjoyed by anybody.
