No Exit: Claustrophobic Thriller with Shaky Character Depth

The snow swirls violently outside the isolated rest stop, but inside, the real storm is the one brewing between six strangers trapped together—and Havana Rose Liu’s Darby, whose discovery of a kidnapped child in their midst ignites a desperate hunt for the truth. Damien Power’s No Exit (2022) takes Taylor Adams’ claustrophobic novel and translates it into a tense, dialogue-driven thriller that leans heavily on its confined setting to generate suspense.

Power, known for his work on Killing Ground (2017), proves adept at wringing tension from limited space. The rest stop’s cramped interiors—shot in muted blues and grays by cinematographer Steve Arnold—feel suffocating, amplifying the paranoia as Darby tries to unmask the kidnapper among Ash (Danny Ramirez), Lars (David Rysdahl), Ed (Dennis Haysbert), and Sandi (Dale Dickey). The film’s strongest moments come from its cat-and-mouse dynamics: Liu is compellingly scrappy as Darby, using her wits to manipulate the group while hiding her own vulnerabilities. A standout sequence involves a game of Bullshit turned high-stakes interrogation, where Darby deftly probes for inconsistencies in their stories.

Yet No Exit falters when it tries to expand beyond its strengths. The pacing drags during stretches of exposition, and some character motivations—particularly Lars’ naive complicity in human trafficking—feel underdeveloped. Power’s direction occasionally leans too heavily on genre tropes, like the obligatory jump scares that disrupt the slower-burn tension. Mila Harris, as the kidnapped girl Jay, is limited by her role’s constraints, but Dale Dickey stands out as Sandi, grounding the ensemble with a performance that balances suspicion and warmth.

The film’s originality lies in its setting and premise, but it doesn’t push far enough beyond familiar thriller beats. While the mystery keeps viewers engaged, the resolution feels rushed, sacrificing nuance for a hurried climax. The genre fit is solid—fans of locked-room mysteries will find plenty to enjoy—but it lacks the boldness of recent standouts like The Killer (2023).

No Exit isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s a serviceable thriller that delivers on its core promise: suspense. Liu’s performance anchors the film, and Power’s direction ensures the tension never fully dissipates.

The film’s strengths lie in its performances and tightly written script, which adapts Adams’ novel faithfully while streamlining some of its more convoluted elements. Liu’s portrayal of Darby is particularly noteworthy—her character arc from vulnerable addict to determined protector is believable and engaging. Ramirez and Rysdahl hold their own as the primary suspects, though their performances occasionally veer into archetype territory.

Where No Exit stumbles is in its pacing and execution of key plot points. The first act is gripping, but once Darby’s suspicions are confirmed, the film struggles to maintain momentum. The blizzard setting, which initially feels like a creative constraint, becomes more of a narrative crutch as the story progresses. Some of the film’s twists—particularly those involving Ash and Lars’ motives—lack sufficient buildup, making them feel abrupt rather than earned.

The film’s themes of trust and betrayal are timeless, but No Exit doesn’t delve deeply enough into its characters to make these themes resonate emotionally. Darby’s backstory as a recovering addict is intriguing but underutilized; her struggles with addiction could have added another layer of tension, particularly in moments where she’s forced to rely on the very people she suspects.

Comparisons to other locked-room thrillers are inevitable, and No Exit holds up reasonably well against its peers. It lacks the psychological depth of something like The Guest (2014) or the visceral intensity of The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), but it carves out its own niche as a straightforward, suspenseful mystery.

Ultimately, No Exit is a solid entry in the thriller genre, elevated by strong performances and a compelling premise. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it delivers enough tension and twists to keep audiences engaged.