Is No Escape Room Based on a True Story?

‘No Escape Room’ is a gripping horror that tells the story of a father-daughter duo who embarks on a holiday journey to strengthen their relationship. Unfortunately, their car breaks down, which needs some time to be repaired. The duo decides to spend some time in the town. They dine together in a family restaurant where they notice an advertisement about an escape room, which is supposedly a popular town attraction. The father enquires about the escape room to a waiter, and she encourages them to visit the place.

The conversation has an eerie tone, and we can sense the forthcoming dread that awaits them in the escape room. In their quest to understand each other, the father and daughter find themselves at the mercy of a vengeful spirit who wants to eliminate the occupants of the escape room. A genre exercise in understanding the horror associated with claustrophobia, ‘No Escape Room’ creates a narrative of engaging mystery. If you are wondering whether the story is based on real-life experiences, you have come to the right place!

Is No Escape Room Based on a True Story?

No, ‘No Escape Room’ is not based on a true story. It is based on a fictional screenplay written by Jesse Mittelstadt. The film is directed by Alex Merkin, known for films like ‘This Modern Man is Beat’ and ‘House of the Witch.’ Alex Merkin sets the film inside a house where he emphasizes the association of history in the narrative. Merkin wanted to incorporate the idea that the house was designed by a person who wants to develop a connection between humans and the paranormal world.

There exist many cases of such paranormal researchers, the most famous of them being Edward and Lorraine Warren, who are the subjects of the film ‘Conjuring.’ Occultists have long tried to establish a link between the other world and humans. In this case, the paranormal enthusiast has a sinister undertone that sets the premise of ‘No Escape Room.’ Moreover, the compelling performances and production design elevate the tension further.

The escape room in the film is like a device with macabre collections of relics used to establish contact with the deceased. Merkin teamed up with Neil Elman, the writer of ‘House of the Witch,’ to build the escape room’s mystery. The room was developed in the lines of a puzzle, as the occupants try to delve deeper into its machinations without knowing the outcome. The anticipation itself creates a sense of impending horror that affects the characters deeply.

More than a film with paranormal thrills, ‘No Escape Room’ unravels as a psychological horror movie. Despite the horror overtones, the film makes us feel that the contraptions in the house are intense tricks designed by the creator himself. Even though the film is not based on a true story, it deftly balances the paranormal aspects with the desperation to escape a dire situation that we all have faced at some point in our lives.

Read More: Where Was No Escape Room Filmed?