Japan has the most immaculate public transportation systems in the world, and it unites the nation in many ways. Every day, millions of passengers travel by train, subway, or bus to get to work, shop, or explore the country. However, for many tourists, navigating this complex transit network, especially the stations, can feel like solving an impossible puzzle. Personally, I’ve gotten lost in Shibuya, Osaka-Umeda, and Kyoto Station. That disorienting experience of feeling lost in train stations inspired the adventure game The Exit 8, which has now been vividly brought to life on screen by Genki Kawamura in his excellent film Exit 8.

If you played the game, you will be familiar with the film’s core concept: a man is trapped in a subway tunnel, where another man in a suit carries a briefcase and a phone. The goal is to reach Exit 8; to achieve this, players must identify anomalies in what’s unfolding; if something is wrong, you must turn back; if not, you continue forward. If you’re correct, you move closer to Exit 8; if you’re wrong, you’re reset back to the beginning. Elevating the film beyond its source material is how it uses this compelling concept to explore more nuanced themes through three distinct characters.

Exit 8 is a poignant commentary on Japanese work culture, social conventions, and the fear of the unknown. Anyone with a 9-to-5 job knows that most days follow a familiar pattern. It is a loop of routines we struggle to break. This work culture permeates every aspect of our daily lives. The only thing that breaks these cycles is something beyond our physical control, and this is powerfully illustrated from the very beginning of Exit 8, when a man yells at a woman whose baby is screaming on the train. For many, especially in Japan, trains provide a rare opportunity to relax or sleep after a long day. A child’s cries shatter that fragile loop, if only for a moment.

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With Exit 8, Genki Kawamura declares that Japan’s monotonous, endless work cycle is not only unhealthy but also contributes to broader societal issues. During the train dispute, the protagonist does nothing; he notices it occurring and puts his headphones back in and retreats into his own reality. One universal theme that resonates is the fear of stepping up. We witness injustice unfold before our eyes, yet we remain passive, unwilling to get involved. The film’s loop-based storytelling cleverly explores this idea, showing how injustice, or anomalies, however fleeting, demand to be acknowledged and addressed.

Its biggest scares stem from the fear of the unknown, mainly through the lens of a newborn. Credited as The Lost Man (Kazunari Ninomiya), our lead is informed by his ex-girlfriend (Nana Komatsu) that she is pregnant, and she doesn’t know what to do. The revelation terrifies him. Tapping into the film’s central motif of anomalies, pregnancy is portrayed as the most profound anomaly. Your entire life turns upside down at the news of bringing life into the world; it shakes your reality to its core. It’s arguably the ultimate loop breaker. While Exit 8 makes its themes and intentions abundantly clear, the way it utilises the game’s concept to tell such a layered and thought-provoking story is exquisite.

Striking from the outset is the film’s gorgeous cinematography. We open on a breathtaking POV shot that begins on a train and sees our lead slowly try to exit the station, but he is then caught in the hellish loop. It’s a fantastic opening that effortlessly immerses us in this mesmerising world and serves as a brilliant homage to the video game. The lush cinematography continues throughout, with numerous stunning long takes that perfectly evoke the endless nature of the underground and reveal information and transitions in genuinely mind-blowing ways.

The score is a tantalising experience for the ears, from its pitch-perfect use of Bolero, which elevates the stunning POV opening, to the rest of the soundtrack that enriches every scene and anomaly. It all contributes to the film’s tone, which, while not a straightforward horror, exudes an eerie atmosphere and is strangely, yet effectively, comedic. My only real criticism is that, at times, when an anomaly occurs, the characters take too long to turn back around, resulting in moments that feel oddly paced.

Exit 8 is nothing short of magical, taking the simplest game and elevating it to unimaginable heights. It’s a profound exploration of Japanese work culture, society, and the fear of the unknown, all wrapped in an incredibly gripping film that brings the gameplay to life in ways I never expected.

★★★★ 1/2

Screened as part of the 2025 BFI London Film Festival / Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kôchi, Hikakin, Nana Komatsu, Kotone Hanase / Dir: Genki Kawamura / Vertigo Releasing

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