Review of No Escape (2015) by Josh F — 29 Aug 2015

I read several critic and user reviews of NO ESCAPE prior to seeing it on Saturday. I was disappointed by the lackluster reviews, especially knowing that it was going to be a movie I would enjoy based on the trailer.

I already knew I would like it. I love any type of survival film. This film hits home for me because it's simply about an American family in a hostile foreign environment. I have two children of my own, and I've been to the South Korean DMZ and Iraq during hostile times; 2002 and 2005 respectfully.

This is a film that doesn't need a detailed plot or well developed characters. Shortly after Jack Dwyer (Owen Wilson) and his family arrive in an unnamed country in Asia, a civil war erupts. As an audience, we have the same amount of information as the Dwyers do, aside from knowing that the prime minister is assassinated by rebels.

After witnessing several civilian deaths and the execution of an American, we know that the Dwyers are not safe. While the characters may be generic, they are clearly a family sticking together through hard times.

They are meant to be a normal family that anyone can relate to. Throughout their attempt to survive, they make appropriate decisions that don't seem like devices to take the events in a specific direction.

They are as smart as they can be in such an intense and confusing situation. It doesn't take long for the chase to commence, and once it does, I fear for them every second as I would my own family.

While Jack and his family don't have any special skills to aid in their survival, Hammond (Pierce Brosnan) becomes a casual acquaintance that clearly does. His character may only be around at convenient times, but his humor and noble efforts to help the Dwyers make him a great character.

While the explanation for the war is vague, the reasoning for the civil war is not what the movie is about. It is about a family trying to get to a safe zone, where they won't be murdered. What kills me is how critics expect every film to have a political message, which they have to agree with, or an original plot.

BIRDMAN is a perfect example, as it's a terrible film that is considered amazing just because it's about an aging actor in Hollywood. (Minor Spoiler) The reason behind the civil war is that an American company has taken control of the water supply and infrastructure, causing that country to be indebted to the US.

Are people really denying that the US has ever started a war over resources? I'm sure the plot is vague in an attempt to avoid upsetting more ignorant viewers. The bottom line is that the film deserves much more credit for how intense the events and situations are for the viewer.

If you're looking for a full fledged political drama, rent SYRIANA. NO ESCAPE is intense, realistic, and heart warming to see a solid family unit trust each other, trying to survive a hellish situation.