Film Review: No Exit (2022)

No Exit

20th Century Studios

Hulu

Release date

February 25, 2022

Ratings

My Rating: 7/10

#whatonwhatsgood Rating 67%

#whatonwhatsgood Express Review (by: Jovin Tardif)

At the beginning of 'No Exit', you are first introduced to Darby (Hannah Rose Liu).  She is in drug rehab.  When she learns her mother is in the hospital, she decides to break out, steal a car and drive to Salt Lake City.  A blizzard forces her to pull over at a state park visitors center. This is where we meet Ed (Dennis Haysbert), Sandi (Dale Dickey), Lars (David Rysdahl), and Ash (Danny Ramirez). 

• Ed is a former marine.  
• Sandi is a nurse.  
• Ash is a pretty laid-back guy.  He seems approachable.
• Lars is a bit of an oddball and social outcast.

While checking for cell reception, Darby discovers a young girl (Mila Harris) bound and gagged in a van. 

Who owns this vehicle and who's responsible for kidnapping her? Will Darby figure it out before it’s too late?

No Exit is a fun whodunnit film. I found this thriller to be quite entertaining.  I think you will enjoy the interesting surprise reveal.

Directed by

Damien Power

Screenplay by

Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari

Based on

No Exit by Taylor Adams

Produced by

Scott Frank

Starring

Havana Rose Liu as Darby Thorne

Mila Harris as Jay

Danny Ramirez as Ash

David Rysdahl as Lars

Dennis Haysbert as Ed

Dale Dickey as Sandi

Benedict Wall as Officer Ron Hill

Kirsty Hamilton as Sarah

Cinematography

Simon Raby

Edited by

Andy Canny

Music by

Marco Beltrami and Miles Hankins

No Exit Interviews with the cast 2/22/2022

Director Damien Power discusses No Exit

No Exit tells the story of Darby a young woman who gets stranded at a mountain visitor center by a blizzard with 4 strangers. When she's outside checking for cell phone service she discovers kidnapped girls in the back of a van. Can she discover the identity of the kidnapper, free the girl and escape alive?

So when I first read the script, I finished the script and immediately picked up Taylor Adams's novel.  I think I read it in one sitting and right away I knew that I wanted to turn this into a film.  I think it has a great central character.  It's a great character-driven suspense thriller.  It has some surprising twists and turns that you don't regularly see in this kind of genre which when I read the novel just I was totally gobsmacked by some of the things that happened. So I just thought that this would be a very fun film to watch and a fun film to make. I think that the film actually sticks pretty close to the plot of the novel. We made some changes about the characters and their backstories, and how they all came to be there at the visitor center.  But I think that the key elements to those characters and their relationships were there right there in the novel.

We shot the film last year in Oakland, New Zealand in the middle of the pandemic. 

Danny Ramirez discusses his character Ash in No Exit

Ash is a very layered person that has a lot of his past that creeps into every single action.

David Rysdahl discusses his character Lars in No Exit and his time in New Zealand

Lars is a special soul who people will maybe have a certain idea of him and then slowly over the film will have a different idea of him.  He's a man of much love and maybe a little bit of confusion

I'm a big fan of New Zealand. I drove the whole island ... the northern part. Then I flew to South Island. It's paradise.   A natural paradise. 

Dennis Haysbert discusses his character Ed in No Exit, the future of Hollywood and his time in New Zeland

Ed is a man who has issues.  He's flawed as is everyone in this cast.  He's a former soldier and I like to think of him as a warrior without a war. He's struggling with self-worth. 

I just want to say that the future of Hollywood is bright, especially the actors I had to work with in this movie.  I thought they were all just incredible. From Havana Rose Liu to Danny Ramirez to David Rysdahl especially Mila Harris.  She is absolutely fierce. You can't forget the incredible Dale Dickie. She just became part of my heart.

New Zealand is a wonderful place. It was absolutely wonderful. I got to see some of the countrysides. If you get a chance go to Midland.  I really enjoyed that.

Havana Rose Liu discusses her character Darby Thorne in No Exit and filming in New Zealand

Darby is bold, yet also sort of timid, yet also very powerful.  Darby learns a lot about herself in this film.

New Zealand is a magical place to film.  I remember there's a day right after we filmed I walked outside of the dark, snowy Grady studio and into New Zealand.  There was a double rainbow, a beautiful sunset, birds were singing, and the leaves were whooshing in the trees.  It really feels like a place that shouldn't exist. It's so magical...I don't know maybe I should move to New Zealand.

No Exit Special VIP Screening Interviews with the cast 2/23/2022

Dale Dickey who plays “Sandi” discusses 'No Exit'

"It's like a perfect psychological thriller. It's five people stranded together.  It's wonderful to watch it unravel. People are stuck in a room.  Strangers, not knowing each other, trying to read each other out.  You have no idea the surprises that are coming, and when that band pops you're out of your seat.  I just want to say how tremendous the main three young kids are Lil Mil (Mila Harris – “Jay”), Havana (Havana Rose Liu – “Darby”), and Danny (Danny Ramirez – “Ash”).  They are just remarkable."

Danny Ramirez who plays “Ash” discusses 'No Exit'

"It's such a fun movie. It's so pressure-packed. There's no point that you kind of have it figured out right away which is really exciting. 

From the moment we read the script to filming it, everyone here became kind of like family.  We built such a strong bond. I think is it's going to be beautiful to scream alongside them throughout the entire night.  It was amazing to work alongside Dale (Dale Dickey – “Sandi”), Dennis (Dennis Haysbert – “Ed”), Havana (Havana Rose Liu – “Darby”) and David (David Rysdahl – “Lars”).  Little Mila (Mila Harris – “Jay”) is able to scream to the highest level than I probably have ever heard." 

David Rysdahl who plays “Lars” discusses 'No Exit'

"It's a classic whodunnit. We filmed in New Zealand and it felt like a play for almost 3 months. I think the movie surprises you emotionally.  These characters start as two-dimensional and slowly become three-dimensional throughout the movie.  I think I'm excited to see how people empathize with these characters throughout the film."

Dennis Haysbert who plays “Ed” discusses 'No Exit'

"What makes it a perfect movie ... because it's very mysterious.  It's very haunting.  It's kind of like a Twilight Zone. You got six characters. You have four suspects, one savior, a victim, and everyone is flawed.  It's a thriller and a whodunnit and nobody knows whodunnit.  They're going to love it." 

Havana Rose Liu who plays “Darby” discusses 'No Exit'

"Well, personally I am not a fan of scary movies. I get easily afraid.  I can't compare it to anything else but I will say this ... I think this thriller has complex characters.  It has plenty of crazy surprises. I think it can keep even the most avid thriller watcher on the edge of their seat.  I think this movie asks you to challenge what you would do in a state of crisis."  

Mila Harris who plays “Jay” discusses 'No Exit'

"I'm so excited to gather around, have popcorn, sit on the edge of the seat and watch the movie altogether.  The movie is a suspense thriller. It has a lot of twists and turns that will make you ask 'whoa that happened'.  Each one of the strangers in the cabin has their own secret. It's fun. It's such a perfect thriller movie."