“Exit 8” is a film based on a popular 2023 Japanese walking simulator game of the same name. Developed by Kotake Create, the game was inspired by “spot the difference” mechanics and survival games like “I’m on Observation Duty,” challenging players to find anomalies in an endless Japanese subway tunnel.
The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2025, then publicly released in Japan a few months later at the end of August 2025. It expanded to theaters in North America on April 10, 2026.
“Exit 8” has received positive reviews and holds a 92% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It has won multiple awards — specifically for Best Poster Design and Best Original Music — showing how it has successfully transitioned from a simple game into an entertaining cinematic experience.
Similarly to the game, the film follows the Lost Man, played by Kazunari Ninomiya, who is trapped in a looping subway tunnel. The rules are simple: if an anomaly exists, he must turn back, but if there are none, he proceeds.
One mistake will reset his progress to Exit 0, while eight correct choices allow him to escape this psychological hell.
In the beginning, the audience sees through the Lost Man’s first-person lens, experiencing the sin he committed. This persists until he realizes he’s in a loop, where the camera then shifts to a third-person perspective. With this transition, the audience sees the raw reaction of the Lost Man throwing his backpack down and breaking into tears on the floor after a reset.
After a long silence, he continues on with a detached expression.
Later, the perspectives of the Walking Man, played by Yamato Kochi, and the Boy, played by Naru Asanuma, are introduced to allow the audience to understand each character’s motives. Like the Lost Man, both actors were not hesitant to look unflattering as compared to many other celebrities. From snot to tantrums to acts of despair, their vulnerable performances made the characters feel real. The anomalies are terrifying because they are closely tied to the character’s mental state. The Lost Man faces crying babies in lockers because he’s hesitant about being a father. The Walking Man faces a girl repeatedly shouting about the depressing routine of commute, work and sleep, reflecting his own dissatisfaction with his work life.
The Boy faces his mother, displaying the guilt of hiding from her and causing their separation.
The film lives up to its reward for best original music. Every turn to the next exit is met with an ominous sound to signal the next anomaly. Another interesting touch is how the Lost Man’s headphone music drowns out the world, symbolizing his refusal to confront injustice.
Despite the movie being a success, the writing was predictable and followed typical horror tropes with so-called “dumb” choices such as characters freezing when danger is near and going straight into traps. However, the cast’s acting and the haunting background music made the film more entertaining.
The 95-minute runtime was suitable since the game rules are simple. Genki Kawamura, the director, could have made the film more complex by keeping the graphic, body-horror scene. In the scene, the Lost Man begins to physically merge with the Walking Man to show that his sin was permanent with the loop. However, Kawamura chose to exclude it, thinking it was too scary for the Cannes Film Festival audience to view.
Overall, “Exit 8” is mostly a slow-burn psychological horror film rather than just a fast-paced gore-fest. While there are no announcements for sequels, the director mentioned there are discussions of a remake. Fans can only hope that there will be more in the franchise.
