The Wasteland Reviewer

Exit 8 (2026) Written Review

What is the strangest thing to ever happen to you in the subway? Well…your experience sure has nothing on the experience of the Lost Man in Genki Kawamura’s Exit 8. Kazunari Ninomiya’s Lost Man just found out some shocking news that can completely change his life. Then this young man gets lost in a wild labyrinth of a subway station. What makes it so haunting and strange is a particular set of rules that he must follow to make it out of this liminal space. That is the strange set up for Kawamura’s film that boasts a range of horror, emotion, and fantastical elements. 

How does Kawamura pull the audience into this unique cinematic experience? There are some specific choices that Kawamura and his crew make that gives this film such an engrossing atmosphere. From the opening moments of the film, the audience is put into the head of our young protagonist with some impressive POV camera angles which feel quite engrossing (courtesy of cinematographer Keisuke Imamura). The production design of this subway station is quite impressive as this space feels so unnerving and engrossing. There are some wild horror elements that are injected into the film with a mixture of serviceable computer-generated effects and some haunted imagery. The film has some solid pacing even when the narrative feels a tad repetitive at some points. The music from Shouhei Amimori and Yasutaka Nakata is pregnant with emotion and power which accentuates the experience so well. There are plenty of shots that will resonate with you and there are some truly haunting images that will shake you to the core. By the time the credits start to roll on this ambitious film, you will have experienced a whole range of different emotions. 

Does the writing stand up to some of the bold filmmaking? Much of Exit 8 comes down to its high concept idea and what this whole experience metaphorically stands for. The rules are clear for what is going on with the strange and twisted corridors of this subway. The screenplay might be a tad blunt with the concept as it is quite repetitive in its messaging, but it certainly resonates. There are plenty of bold, creative swings with what happens in each of these numbered corridors with some of them landing more effectively than others. The film can slip into repetitiveness at times but there are enough intriguing ideas thrown in there to keep things interesting. The opening sequence sets the tone for the looming life change that is affecting the Lost Man, and it is effectively executed. There is an emotional connection that connects as an overarching thematic basis for the film, giving the film a full circle perspective. There is some solid thematic work that reinforces the series of trials that the Lost Man must navigate. The ideas might be a bit blunt and the film being one giant metaphor might not resonate with all, but it still hits in a powerful manner.

How does acting reinforce the experience? Ninomiya is the anchor to the whole experience, and it certainly delivers. There is a wide range of emotions that Ninomiya is expected to express throughout the film and they all shine through. Frustration and fear due to being stuck in this wild situation. The film begins with a hollow expression on Ninomiya as he navigates being just another cog in this societal machine along with all the other disconnected folks on the subway. But his world opens with one phone call then his budding connection with a small child stuck in this hellscape with him. There are some truly powerful moments as the film gets to its climax (as there are some powerful revelations that Ninomiya must sell). Naru Asanuma is a fine addition as well as the young boy who is stuck in this loop with the Lost Man. 

Is Exit 8 a creative swing that lands? Much of Kawamura’s film certainly lives up to this crazy high concept idea. There are plenty of deeply human elements that ground the audience through those unnerving corridors. Dynamic direction, powerful music, a strong central performance, and a bold piece of artistry makes Exit 8 a film to see.