Again, the minimalist concept is used in a tense thriller in an ever-lasting pandemic era. No Exit is a Damien Power-directed film released on the streaming platform Hulu a few days ago. This film stars several actors who are not widely known to us, namely Havana Rose Liu, Danny Ramirez, Dennis Haysbert, and Dale Dickey. From dozens of minimalist thrillers that exist, No Exit has a very promising premise, but does it have a differentiating side?
Darby (Liu) is currently being treated at a drug rehabilitation center. She received information that her mother was seriously ill at the big city hospital next door. She ran away and drove towards the city with a stolen car. Unfortunately, halfway through the journey, she was caught in a storm, and a local police officer advised her to go to a transit point not far ahead. There, a group of people also waited for the storm to pass. While Darby was looking for a cellular signal to call her sister, suddenly, a noise came from inside a parked van. A little girl is tied up weakly inside the van with indications of kidnapping, and one of those in the transit room is the culprit.
Since this year, dozens of similar (minimalist) thrillers have emerged. Who would have thought that this genre is now getting more and more places, especially in the pandemic era? The concept of space and limited characters does have a close relationship with the thriller, and the budget also can be suppressed from the production side. No Exit has an interesting premise among films of its kind. Playing with a limited story setting with a side of mystery (who is the culprit?) which triggers tension, is a dish that never makes the audience bored. Through its script, No Exit can empower space and characters to create an intense and full of twists from moment to moment.
No Exit is a solid minimalist thriller with enough suspense to satisfy fans of the genre. One difference is the characters in the story. Darby is not a smart detective or physically strong, but with all the inner conflicts of her past, it seems as if this incident has become an arena for atonement for her sins. The other characters are not ideal figures, which makes this film feel down to earth. If one top star were cast, the film would feel different and predictable. Although it will be less exciting for big-screen presentations, No Exit is a mandatory streaming spectacle for genre lovers.
