Exit 8, a Japanese film adaptation of the video game of the same name, has achieved an impressive 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated video game film adaptation ever. This achievement is all the more remarkable considering the film's recent release in North American theaters. The game, released in 2023, features a man trapped in an endless, sterile train station corridor, and the film's success lies in its ability to capture the essence of the game while expanding it into a feature-length narrative. The film's director, Genki Kawamura, has been praised for his unique approach, drawing comparisons to the works of Stanley Kubrick. The film's critical acclaim is evident in the reviews, with Frank Wilkins of Reel Reviews describing it as a 'horror rooted not in monsters, but in the quiet terror of sameness', and Chuck Bowen of Style Weekly calling it a 'pocket-sized Kubrick movie'. The film's success in adapting a short game into a compelling feature-length film is a testament to the potential of video game adaptations, and it will be interesting to see how it performs in Australian cinemas when it releases on April 23.
