No Escape Movie Poster Image

No Escape

(i)

 

Forced thrills can't hide this movie's ugly xenophobia.
  • Review Date: August 28, 2015
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 103 minutes

What parents need to know

Positive messages

The movie's xenophobic message seems to be "don't go to any foreign countries, and don't trust anyone who's not American (or white)." After the bad guys start attacking, the good guy can -- and does -- do anything to survive, without consequences.

Positive role models

The main characters seem like a nice family, but they're stuck in a horrible situation. and what they do to survive isn't exactly admirable.

Violence

A woman is beaten and nearly raped (her clothes are torn). Many characters are shot, with blood splatters, bleeding wounds, and pools of blood. Children are thrown from a roof (with the intention of being caught). A man is beaten to death with a blunt object. Dead bodies are shown. Suicide. An angry mob beats people with rocks, sticks. Helicopter crash and explosion. Tank shells explode. Truck runs over people. Much of the violence occurs in front of children.

Sex

Reference to "hitting a strip joint," with joking innuendo. Scene set in what appears to be a brothel.

Language

A few uses of "f--k" and "s--t," plus "bastard," "goddamn."

Consumerism

The main character wears Nike shoes. He later trades them for something he needs.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Characters smoke and drink (beer and whisky shots) in a social setting, getting playfully drunk in one scene. Opium smokers shown in passing.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that No Escape is a thriller about an American family that comes under fire in an unnamed foreign country. Some viewers might be interested in it as a "turn off your brain" roller coaster ride, but its blatant xenophobia makes it difficult to recommend. Plus, there's a lot of strong violence, including a scene of a woman being beaten and nearly raped. Children are in peril, and dozens of people are shot and killed, with blood spurts, bloody wounds, and pools of blood, plus beatings and explosions. Language is infrequent but includes more than one use of "f--k" and "s--t." There's a mention of a strip joint and a scene that takes place in what appears to be a brothel. Characters smoke and drink in a social setting, with some playful drunkenness, and an opium den is briefly shown.

What's the story?

In NO ESCAPE, struggling businessman Jack Dwyer (Owen Wilson) takes his family to a new country -- an unnamed Asian country, possibly Thailand -- and a new job. Things don't go well from the start: Their ride to the hotel doesn't show up, and nothing in their room seems to be working. The next day, Jack goes out for a paper and finds himself in the middle of what seems to be a revolution, with citizens attacking figures in riot gear. And it becomes apparent that Americans are also being targeted. Jack takes his wife (Lake Bell) and daughters (Claire Geare and Sterling Jerins) on a dangerous path to the American embassy. Just as hope runs out, a mysterious European (Pierce Brosnan) and a local driver (Sahajak Boonthanakit) intervene.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

It's horrifying to consider just how this movie operates, generating so-called thrills based on a blind, empty-headed fear of foreigners. Adding dumb plot twists and bad shaky-cam makes for an insultingly poor movie. Coming from the otherwise decent horror director John Erick Dowdle, No Escape is surprising in its blatant xenophobia -- some might go far as to say racism -- with evil-looking, unidentified Asians, none of whom has any honor or dignity, shooting at Americans and attempting to beat up and rape white women.

It doesn't help that the characters are stuck with bad storytelling, including unlikely logic, forced incidents, and flat-out cruelty, as when Jack decides to throw his daughters off a roof, or when he beats a potential informant to death. The unstable cinematography, meant to simulate chaos with lots of shaking, makes things worse. Brosnan's character actually has a purpose, but it's too little and too late to save this abhorrent movie.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about No Escape's violence. How did it make you feel? How was the impact affected by the fact that kid characters were there/involved?

  • What does "xenophobia" mean? Does this movie subscribe to that way of thinking?

  • Why do you think the country in which the movie takes place isn't named? How are its people depicted?

  • How does the movie depict smoking and drinking? What's the tone of those scenes? Are there consequences?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:August 26, 2015
DVD release date:November 24, 2015
Cast:Owen Wilson, Pierce Brosnan, Lake Bell
Director:John Erick Dowdle
Studio:Weinstein Co.
Genre:Thriller
Run time:103 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong violence including a sexual assault, and for language

This review of No Escape was written by

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What parents and kids say

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Kid, 11 years old August 30, 2015

Violent Sad sick morals but in the end everything works out

Countless people in no escape are beaten with sticks and pools of blood are shown behind their head, people are shot with lots of blood spurts and spews that are very disturbing, there is also kids being killed and some people are smashed to death. there are plenty of brutal explosions one involving a tank, and the bad rebels in this are shown to be ruthless gang members who use any means to kill the americans and even some of their own. One woman tries to save here husband by spotting herself out to the rebels and they lay her down on a table and rip her shirt off and they start punching her in her stomach. then they use their elbows to keep her still and the leader rips open her skirt and spreads her legs and is about to rape her. but he is shot and killed in the knick of time before the woman was raped. there is a scene of a whore house and people are seen lying down smoking weed, cocaine, and using countless drugs. there is also a lot of sexually tinged humor and some french kissing. there is some strong swears like F***, F**king, F**kers, S***, and at least one use of B****! some people get drunk in the movie and are seen sexually holding each other by their arms and singing like idiots. there is also one scene where they have to eat a dog to live which is very sick and messed up. the movie is good but should be viewed by audiences who can handle all the violent heartbreaking intense thematic emotions and violence including the action. i rate this movie R-Restricted] Disturbing depraved violent bloody themes throughout Strong language a brief rape reference some Strong Drug use Strong use of alcohol Pervasive thematic elements and emotionality throughout including some Strong Intense action and gang violence and some scary themes.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Adult Written bymarjoriekl November 29, 2015

No Escape

My main concern was with the violence and language. Dozens of people are brutally murdered with bats, guns, machetes, and other weapons. Needless to say, there's lots of blood and brutality. Also, the F word is used quite often. A woman is nearly raped, but rescued just in time. She is pinned down by several men, who rip her shirt and skirt and spread her legs. During the rescue, her butt is briefly shown in the background, but it isn't obvious. Aside from those concerns, this was one of the best movies I have seen in a while. Though the plot may seem like a run-of-the-mill escape-and-keep-your-family-alive movie, the suspense is constant. I would definitely watch it again.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Parent Written byDinosaursRunPlanet September 26, 2015

Really Good Very Intense and Lots of Violence

this movie is really but Parents should even thought movie is rated r for strong violence is really Intense from opening to end of movie there is lots of blood spray Characters are in peril throughout whole movie people shot run over by cars but is off screen there is Disturbing Rape Scene would Say This movie only For old teenagers not sensitive and kids haven't seen many movies with violence in wouldn't risk this movie there messenger about protect ones love ! there is lots of bad words too !
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

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