3 Reasons Why Escape Rooms Create Adrenaline in Movies

by Kevin Gardner

If you've been watching recent horror and action movies, you've probably noticed a new trend. This popular plot point, oddly enough, is the use of games to amp up adrenaline. Think of Alice in Borderland, Escape Room and its sequel, Ready or Not, The Belko Experiment, Saw, The Purge series and the ever-popular Squid Game. While this may seem odd, especially since games can feel childish, the method tends to succeed. One of the most effective games used is escape rooms, or, at least, similar situations. If you want to learn more, here are three reasons why escape rooms create adrenaline in movies.

1. Creates Mystery

The main draw of escape rooms, at least in real life, is the thrill of the mystery. Can you find all the clues? Will you solve it within the time limit? Is there a big plot twist to discover? The same principle applies to films with escape rooms. While you may not be in the room, you can still try to figure out the clues yourself. As long as you pay attention, you may have a general idea of what's going on. Look at the entire frame of the movie. You may see a clue that the characters haven't noticed yet. An added element in the film is the overall mystery. Why exactly are the players doing this game? Who's behind it all? Sometimes, this answer is a plot twist. This occurs in movies like Funhouse and Saw. Other times, details in the rooms will lead to the answer. For instance, the escape rooms in Escape Room are all based on the characters' backstories. No matter what the mystery is, it'll probably make you want to try virtual escape room team building.

2. Heightens Stakes

In many horror and thriller movies, the stakes aren't always clear. A single killer may be chasing teens or murdering enemies. However, you aren't always sure whether the characters are in danger. While this provides more mystery, it can cause the heart-pounding scenes to be a bit shorter. When escape rooms are used, this is definitely not the case. For one thing, the stakes are high for practically the whole film. For instance, the Saw movies rarely have a moment of calm or safety. The characters simply go from one dangerous game to the next. Escape rooms can also provide a clear ending point to reach. Until everyone gets out or finds a puzzle-breaking clue, that point won't be met. This makes it even more nerve-wracking when time is running out. If the characters aren't close to escaping, your adrenaline will be pretty high. Finally, escape rooms and other games are excellent companions to horror movie adrenaline. While losing an escape room in real life can be disappointing, losing one in a movie will likely cost a character's life. 

3. Provides Interesting Visuals

It can't be denied that escape rooms provide amazing visuals. As long as directors get creative, the deadly rooms in question don't need to be plain. Consider Escape Room's various challenges. The upside-down room was a marvel to look at. This alone amped up the adrenaline of the scene, mainly because it was clear that a character could easily fall and die. Also, the same film used a drugged room to create scary and nerve-wracking hallucinations. These images were certainly haunting, and each one made the scene (which was already pretty nail-biting) all the more intense. On the other hand, escape rooms can provide more simplistic visuals. Consider movies like Devil. The characters are all trapped in an elevator, and this is the main set the audience sees. While this may seem boring, it amps up the sense of claustrophobia and looming doom. 

Escape rooms, being a fairly new phenomenon, have only just begun to feature in films. However, judging by how films with similar contrivances have fared, these intricate puzzles are sure to be used more often. Keep your eye out and enjoy watching some scary flicks!