Video Game Movie Exit 8 Debuts Strong on Rotten Tomatoes

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The new movie Exit 8, currently showing in US theaters, has received excellent reviews. It’s also broken records, achieving the highest critic score of any film based on a video game.

Currently, the movie Exit 8 has a 94% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes, meaning critics are overwhelmingly positive about it. This is a contrast to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which received mixed reviews despite being popular with audiences. In fact, critic Sonny Bunch of The Bulwark declared Exit 8 to be a better video game adaptation than The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Reviewers Are Praising the Exit 8 Movie

According to Mashable’s Shannon Connellan, while many attempts have been hit or miss, Exit 8 successfully builds upon and improves the initial idea.

As a huge cinema fan, I always appreciate a good adaptation, and Eric Marchen from Rogers TV hit the nail on the head with this one. He pointed out that the movie deliberately keeps some of the details about the virtual world mysterious, and honestly, it works. It’s one of the better video game movies out there, though he’s right to note that’s not exactly a high bar!

Film critic Chris Knight admits that movies based on video games often get a lukewarm reception, but he found Exit 8 to be a pleasant surprise. The film cleverly uses the unsettling visuals of an escape-room game – specifically one set in a never-ending subway station – and builds a straightforward yet compelling story around them, creating a genuinely engaging experience.

According to Manohla Dargis of the New York Times, Exit 8 is both delightful and thought-provoking.

Exit 8 Has Set a New Record for Video Game Movies

Recent TV series like Arcane and Fallout have received excellent reviews, but when it comes to movies based on video games, Exit 8 now holds the top spot on Rotten Tomatoes. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) and the original Sonic the Hedgehog (2021) both share second place with a score of 86%. Following those, The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019) has a rating of 72%, with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) at 69%, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (2019) at 68%, and Gran Turismo (2023) at 65%.

Directed by Genki Kawamura (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Kentaro Hirase), Exit 8 closely follows the story of the original indie game it’s based on. The film centers around a man stuck in a never-ending underground subway, desperately searching for the elusive “Exit 8.” He must be careful not to notice anything unusual, as doing so will reset his journey and send him back to the beginning of the maze.

The movie stars Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Aasanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu.

Exit 8 is now playing in movie theaters. Get tickets now via .

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2026-04-10 23:10