Movie Review – Escape Room – escape the room, or die trying

So, I watched this film a few weeks ago now, and my review has been sat in my notes app for ages, waiting for me to remember about it.

I remembered about it.

That's why I'm now here!

Let me introduce the film, and then we can get into my review!

Escape Room is a psychological thriller about six strangers who find themselves in circumstances beyond their control and must use their wits to find the clues or die.

My Review!

Six people, all with seemingly nothing in common with each other. And yet, there is something they do have in common. Someone they trust has given them a box, which opens to reveal a note. A ticket, in a way, to enter an escape room. No one has beaten it. If you win, you win $10,000. So, six strangers find themselves sat in a waiting room together, waiting to be led into a room and locked in. 

But they are already locked in. The escape room starts with the waiting room. Room after room, different horrors await them in each. Each room has a theme, something that they have to try and beat in order to get out. And yet, sometimes, their attempts at escape are what cause the horrors to worsen.

The six are not the kind of people who would normally associate with each other. Zoey, an incredibly smart student. Ben, who works in a grocery store. Mike, a truck driver. Amanda, an army veteran. Danny, who has completed many an escape room before. And Jason, a stock trader. They are all very different, and in the face of danger, they can either band together, or clash, fighting each other. There is no time for them to process anything before the next thing is thrown at them, and it’s all they can do to stay sane, let alone alive, long enough to make it to the next room. 

This film is very action packed. With the knowledge that every room will try to kill them in some way, you are kept on the edge of your seat, especially when nothing seems to happen to begin with. You are waiting for something to change, for a timer and panic to set in, and then you sit, hoping the timer never reaches zero, and that no one loses their life. 

There are characters I loved in this film, which, to be fair, was most of them. None of them are in their comfort zone, each room holds something against them, something personal, that makes it hard for them to cope, but while some try to help the others make it through, there is one in particular who does not seem to care. I don’t really think it’s a spoiler in any way to say this person was Jason. He is arrogant, and seems to think he is better than everyone else there. My favourites were Zoey, Ben and Amanda. Zoey is an absolutely lovely person, who tries to help everyone, without sometimes realising she’s the one that needs help, and she seems to be the one the others become friends with quickly, even though she is quiet and shy, because of how nice she is. 

There are some things that absolutely fascinate me, and how things can be thought out in so much detail is one of them. I have never done an escape room, but I would love to try one (not one like in this film though…). The way clues are hidden, how everything in the room seems to have a purpose, you just have to be clever enough to put things together… the amount of work that must’ve gone into, not only sorting the sets, but putting every little detail in, making sure everything makes sense, and that everything has a purpose - I can only imagine how much time it must’ve taken to create this film. People who solve escape rooms are smart, but the people who make them? And not only that, but make several, link them together, and make a movie out of them? It’s absolutely amazing to think about. 

The ending of this film hinted at a sequel. Well, a little more than hinted, it may as well have had a large neon sign that said ‘there is a sequel’. I have looked it up, and there is a second movie, which I will have to get my hands on, if it’s anything like the first. I have discovered what my current favourite kind of movie is, and it involves characters I love in mortal danger, with a hint of feeling unsafe weaved through it, along with an overall sense of wondering what is real and what is happening. It’s a very tense movie style. I love it. This film is one of them. If you like whatever kind of film it is that I just described, you will love this one. 

And done!

I won't spend long chatting down here, because I'm hungry and want to get this post finished and ready before I eat.

So I'll end it quickly!

That's all for now...

Bye!

Writing Prompt Stories, Mini Stories That My Mind Cooked Up – Part 9

He stared at her, sitting by the window, watching the snowflakes twirl in the air. They had never spoken, much less made eye contact, but there was something about her. Something that was impossible to ignore.

Lee had spent the last few months making useless trips to the library, useless because there was no way he could ever get any studying done when she was sat by the window. The sun reflected off her hair, shimmering through it, whereas rain drew her attention away from her books, as drops of water raced down the glass. 

The words were still bouncing around his head. The librarian, usually quiet, ignoring everything happening in the building as he typed furiously on his computer, had stood up, and asked for everyone’s attention. “The snowstorm has grown worse. There are strong winds right now, and they are forecast for the next hour or so. I would advise you all to stay here, inside, until the wind has died down.” 

Two people had disregarded what the librarian had said – after all, he was a strange man, who apparently spent his time watching weather reports – and had left, only to return less than five minutes later, their hair tousled, a white dusting of snow clinging to their clothes. They had dropped into two spare seats in defeat.

So they were stuck, for at least an hour. Lee had long since given up on his research paper, to the point he had started to pack his notes and books away in his bag. He glanced towards the window, to the woman staring out of it. Her hair today was tied up, pulled away from her face, and she tapped a pen against the book on the table in front of her. This was his chance, wasn’t it? To speak to her, to get to know her. Maybe to get her number. Maybe just her name. 

He reached a hand down to his bag on the floor, pulling it up onto the table and rummaging through it. The books may have squashed them a little, and by the sounds of the crumbs filtering down the packet, they were rather broken, but chocolate chip cookies were a peace offering, no matter what state of disrepair they were in. Lee held the packet of cookies in his hand, all his things packed away in his bag, and took a deep breath.

“Hi, can I sit down?” 

She started, pulled out of the trance the falling snow had put her in. He shifted his weight, waiting for an answer, and she smiled.

“Sure.” She reached across the small table and pulled her books to her, closing some, and stacking them to the side. 

“I have cookies, if you want one?” He opened the packet as he sat down, setting them down in the middle of the table.

“Thanks,” she reached for one immediately, cupping her hand under her mouth as she bit into it, catching the pieces that broke off. “I haven’t eaten anything today,” she explained after swallowing the mouthful. “I was planning on going out at lunchtime, but then the wind happened, and I don’t fancy my chances. I barely know my way around on a nice day.”

“Do you live nearby?” Lee asked, and she nodded. “Then how don’t you know your way around? We’ve been here for a couple of months.” He was honestly confused by her confession. He could make his way around the campus blindfolded, and knew where all the rooms were, even the ones he didn’t take classes in. 

“I’ve never been good with directions. I can get from my place to here, my classes, and the shop, but I didn’t learn the way anywhere else. When I got my drivers licence, my Dad was terrified I would constantly get lost. He bought me a sat-nav as a congratulations present.” She laughed at her own words, reaching for another cookie, and Lee smiled. Her laugh made him feel like a soft breeze had just arrived on a sweltering day. 

“What’s your name?” Lee asked, and she held up a finger, chewing furiously.

“Jessica,” she swallowed and spoke, “or Jess. Jessie. Whatever.” She shrugged. “Yours?”

“Lee,” he told her. Jess. It fit her. Now that he knew it, Lee couldn’t imagine any other name fitting her.

“I recognise you,” she gestured towards him with a cookie. “Do you come here a lot?”

“Yeah, every couple of days. I like it here, it’s…” got you here...

“Peaceful?”

“Yeah.” He agreed, at a loss for what else to say. He shoved a cookie into his mouth instead of speaking any more.

“I like this spot. By the window,” Jess turned to look at the blizzard through the window. “When it’s clear, I can see all the way across campus. I like watching people.” Lee turned to look out the window as well, at the snowflakes spinning, thrown this way and that. They were trapped in turmoil, and yet, they look beautiful.

“How much longer do you think we’ll be stuck here?” Lee asked, his gaze locked on the storm that didn’t seem about to let up.

“Already getting bored of my company?” Jess asked. Lee turned to defend himself, but saw that she was grinning. “Do you want to play a game?”

“Okay?” Lee said, frowning as she reached into her bag, pulling out a pack of cards. “Do you carry that around with you all the time?”

“Yes, and a Rubik’s cube. Just in case I run into someone who can solve it for me.”

“I can solve it,” Lee almost whispered, shocked at his luck. Time with the girl he couldn’t stop staring at, and a chance to show off to her? Perhaps that wasn’t the correct wording, but he had always loved solving Rubik’s cubes in front of people, just to impress them. 

She handed it over wordlessly, and watched, leaning forward as he turned the grid, following the patterns he had memorised one boring summer day.

“There,” he held it out to her, and she took it, turning it slowly as she examined the colours, all lined up perfectly.

“How?” She asked, and he grinned.

“It’s a secret. But I might need a reward,” he said it before his common sense could kick in and stop him.

“Oh yeah? What would that be, then?” She asked, resting her cheek on her palm as she leant forward over the table.

“Your number.” He cringed internally at how cheesy he sounded.

“I think that might be doable. Give me your phone, then.” She held out her hand, failing to conceal a smile. Lee pressed his mobile into her palm, and she wrapped her fingers around it, concentrating as she typed, and silently mouthing the numbers as she added them in. “There. Now, are do you have any other hidden talents I should know about? Can you control the weather and make this storm stop briefly so I can get home?”

“Not quite, but I do make a pretty good stir fry.” She raised an eyebrow at him, and he grinned. “In fact, I was planning on making one when I get home, but I always make too much for just me to eat. You wouldn’t happen to like stir fry, would you?”

“That depends… do you make it entirely from scratch, or do you use those little spice packets, and a pre-made bag of vegetables?”

“Um, both?” Lee couldn’t tell if he had just ruined everything or not. And the cheesiness had been going so well. Jess leaned further across the table, grinning.

“Good. I was starting to worry you were an overachiever.” Lee scoffed.

“Not at all. I have three assignments due, one overdue, and countless coming up.” Maybe if he spent any time studying outside of the library, where he wouldn’t get distracted by Jess’s presence, he would get more done.

“Oh dear, well, we’ll have to do something about that. Maybe set up a study group.” She shrugged. “I could come over and help you study, but you would have to feed me in return.”

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” Lee chuckled as Jess grinned at him. Maybe he actually had a shot. Now, how to make sure she didn’t see the mess of his place when he wouldn’t get a chance to clean it before she got there?

And done!

I wasn't entirely sure where this story was going, but Lee and Jess started flirting, so I just let them be!

I don't actually have anything to say down here...

That's all for now...

Bye!

Short Story Mini Reviews – Thrillers

Sometimes, you simply cannot resist downloading far too many free books in one sitting – this is something I absolutely cannot do. I found myself downloading thriller after thriller, all of them wonderfully bitesized short stories, thinking 'that'll make a great post! I can do mini reviews for them!'

I downloaded these books on May 4th, 2021. And I am just now getting around to actually reading them and making this post.

Nonetheless, let us begin!

A quick side note! All of these short stories are available to download for free from Amazon!

Susie and her sister have never been close. These days they barely speak. So when Danielle messages her out of the blue and begs to meet, Susie knows something must be wrong.

But what Danielle tells her seems crazy. Her husband, Simon, may be a bully, but surely he wouldn't hurt her?

Then the accident happens. And Susie is forced to rethink everything.

Who is lying?

Who is telling the truth?

And who, really, is the killing type?

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Suzie and Danielle are not close sisters at all. But when Danielle messages Suzie, asking to meet up and talk, Suzie agrees. Danielle tells her about how she thinks her husband, Simon, is trying to kill her, and Suzie does not believe her at all.

This is a story so short that you never get close to the characters, never truly understand what kind of people they are, and so, you are never entirely sure who to trust. This worked in favour of the story, especially considering the nature of the story, trying to figure out who is telling the truth. There are a few major twists, the kind that make you pause for a moment, stunned at what you just read. It is very difficult to say much about the story without giving away plot details, and I do not want to do that.

This is a very (very) short story. Half of this book is an excerpt from another novel, so the actual story is much shorter than expected. I read the entire thing in less than the time it took dinner to cook. That being said, the shortness of this novel made it perfect to read quickly, as a glimpse into a mystery you know will be solved for you within half an hour. I do wish I could've delved into Suzie's and Danielle's lives for longer, but as it stands, this was a great, and fast, read.

As detective Max Wolfe recovers from the injuries sustained in The Murder Bag, a figure from his past comes back into his life: his childhood sweetheart, now stalked and threatened by her violent ex-partner.

As Max attempts to protect her, he is haunted by a nightmare of his own: the reappearance of the terrorist he killed with his car at the start of The Murder Bag.

Are they visions brought on by the medication Max is taking? Or is he going mad?

Or do some people just have to be killed twice?

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Detective Max Wolfe may usually deal in homicides, but when an old girlfriend is the person who is asking the police for help, he can’t simply let his colleagues deal with it. Her ex-husband just got out of jail, and she feels threatened, unsafe. Max is still dealing with demons left over from a past case when he takes on Echo’s case as his own, and despite knowing he’s dead he is seeing the terrorist with the red bag everywhere. 

This novel is not a short story that cuts corners for the sake of being short. It took me about an hour to read, and I could not have asked for more detail, backstory, or action. This is the sort of book that has you frowning at the pages, trying to figure out what is really going on. And, with Max seeing a dead man, you also start to question what can possibly be real. Max is not a perfect character, he can lose his temper and end up on the wrong side of the interrogation table, but he also does his best to do what he feels is right, and he was a wonderful character to follow in this story. This is the kind of book that draws you into the series, wanting to spend more time with the characters, and to watch that backstory play out in real time. A great crime thriller, especially for when you don’t want to stay up too late reading. 

A single text changed her life. Did it end his?

Emily Latimer is furious. Her boss Andrew is being so unreasonable, as always. She fires off a text to her boyfriend, only in her haste she sends it to her whole office group.

In it she says Andrew's being difficult about letting her have time off work. That she is angry. That she hopes he dies. The next day her face burns in the office. No one believes her when she says it was a typo, she meant to say does. She hopes he does.

It's a nightmare. But it gets worse - Andrew doesn't turn up for work. And then the police come knocking. Because Andrew Burton has been murdered . . .

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Emily has been looking forward to her girls weekend for months, and now her boss, Andrew, is saying he’s not sure she can have the time off. When Emily mistakenly sends a furious message meant for her boyfriend to her office group chat, including a typo leading to the sentence ‘I hope he dies’, she is mortified. But when police show up on her doorstep the following day, saying that Andrew is dead and that they are questioning his colleagues, she is more than just mortified - she is scared. 

There are only a few people who saw the message Emily sent, only a select group who know about her typo, and the implications it holds when Andrew is found dead. A list of suspects, tied up in a neat bow, and you’re not sure who to trust and who not to. There were a good few twists in this story, ones that make you have to restart your brain from the beginning as it tries to solve the murder. Some things are thrown off course, and nothing seems to come to a conclusion until the author wanted it to, keeping me firmly engrossed in the story as I tried to get ahead, and failed. The characters felt incredibly real, especially with how they were affected by Andrew’s death. It chilled them, that someone they knew had been murdered. This story did not take me very long to read at all, maybe about half an hour, so it is the perfect quick mystery to guess about as you read it. 

A thrilling, rollercoaster ride of a short story, from #1 ebook bestseller Paul Finch.

Plus, get an exclusive first look at the opening chapters of Paul’s new book, ‘The Killing Club’

The darkest things happen at night…

What happens when you witness a horrific crime? Do you stay and help? Or do you flee? And what do you do when the perpetrator sets their sights on you…?

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Alex was on her way home when she found herself lost down winding roads in an attempt to get around the traffic of the motorway, with a sat-nav that was broken, even more so since she threw it aside in frustration. After an altercation with a traffic cop, she drives away, but returns, knowing he will know exactly where she is and how to get to where she needs to be. But she arrives to see the cop murdered, and as she drives past, the killer turns on her, the only witness.

Alex finds herself running for her life, trying to hide, get away, or simply just survive. This is an action packed adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you are not sure when Alex is safe – at times she appears to have finally lost her chaser, and they will reappear from nowhere, trying to gun her down. There is not a moment of respite, a minute when you think she will be fine, because it is as soon as Alex lets her guard down that she finds herself running once again. If you want to inject a little suspense into your day, this book is one you should read. It is not too long, perfect for an hour break. You could not possibly read this in sections, for if you were to put this book down, you would be reaching for it again within a few minutes. The tension will keep you reading, if not concern for Alex’s wellbeing or curiosity over how the story will play out. 

Jake Tanner is caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When a routine bank visit goes horribly wrong, Jake and his girlfriend, Elizabeth, are caught in the midst of an armed robbery.

The criminals? They call themselves The Crimsons. One of the most notorious groups of armed robbers in the country, whose reputation precedes them.

And now they've just chosen their next victim.

Alone and afraid, Jake must protect himself at all costs, while saving others in this fight or flight situation.

Will Jake succeed, or will The Crimsons fire their first-ever shot in this survival race against time?

The Red Viper is the exciting introduction into the Jake Tanner universe.

Meet Jake today before everyone else does. 

Amazon UK • Amazon US

My Review!

Jake is in a rush to be in and out the bank – there is a car for sale that he is desperate to have, but the seller will only do cash, and is only available for a short window of time. But, Jake’s plans come crashing down when a group of masked criminals burst into the bank, and order everyone to get down on the ground. In an attempt to delay the ringleader long enough for the approaching sirens to arrive, Jake tries to take the leader, Freddy, on, but he just confirms his place as Freddy’s main hostage. 

Stuck with Freddy, Jake’s first thought is survival, but he has to build some kind of trust with Freddy. As he tries to talk to the leader of the criminal gang, he starts to think like a police officer might, planning his moves and words carefully. Jake’s thought process isn’t entirely calm, he spends the entire time panicking, and I had the same concern over Jake’s life as he did. Freddy didn’t seem about to shoot him, but he had a gun in his hands, and he was completely cornered for the first time in his criminal career. His actions are completely unpredictable, and I read it feverishly, desperate to know what was going to happen, and what the outcome was going to be. This was a fantastic introduction to the characters, and certainly makes you want to read more about Jake and the situations he might end up in. If you’re after a quick and suspenseful read, definitely read this one!

And done!

One post, five reviews. So organised! So efficient! Who am I?!

Once again, all five books are short stories, and they are all free on Amazon.

That's all for now...

Bye!