NO ESCAPE review by Mark Walters – Owen Wilson’s family is caught in a war zone

NO ESCAPE review by Mark Walters – Owen Wilson’s family is caught in a war zone

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The idea of going to a third world country and having things go bad has played out on the big screen several times through the years. In the new thriller NO ESCAPE, we see this motif go to some pretty intense depths, while very carefully not identifying exactly where it’s taking place. It’s definitely one of the more intense films to hit this year, but with a tale about an American family facing horrifying circumstances outside of their element, is this really the kind of entertainment moviegoers will find enticing?

The story opens in an unidentified Cambodia-like Asian country, showing two military leaders (prime ministers perhaps?) having a well-guarded meeting to discuss important politics. Just as the meeting ends, the compound is stormed by rebels who assassinate this country’s leader. This is the beginning of what will become a chaotic war in the streets. Flashback to 17 hours earlier, and we’re introduced to Austin-based businessman Jack Dwyer (Owen Wilson) and his wife Annie (Lake Bell), who are on a plane with their two daughters heading to this very area in Asia, the result of Jack’s job with a water company forcing him to relocate. On the plane and just outside the airport they meet a rugged man named Hammond (Pierce Brosnan), who frequently visits the area for “the women” he says are eager to please. He gets them a ride to their hotel, and once there we see that Annie is not very happy about this trip – perhaps she’s just being homesick, or maybe the marriage isn’t what it used to be… we never actually find out. That night is when the sequence we saw in the opening of the film takes place, and not far from the family’s hotel either. The next day, Jack heads out looking for an American newspaper and runs into the middle of the street war’s beginning, as the country’s police force are overtaken by ruthless rebels in brutal fashion. Jack runs back to the hotel, realizing this attack has already made its way there as well. He narrowly makes his way back to his family, and now they desperately try to stay steps ahead of the very people who want to murder them. As the action unfolds, we discover the targeting of the Dwyer family is not coincidental.

Since we’ve seen these kinds of movies before, there’s not a lot of mystery in how the events will unfold, but NO ESCAPE manages to keep things intense and exciting, never allowing the audience to get bored or terribly complacent. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film is watching Owen Wilson in a serious role, his first since BEHIND ENEMY LINES (2001). Wilson handles the character well and respectfully, finding the right sympathetic beats, and even delivers a few surprising moments amidst the chaos. It’s rather inspired casting, and it works. The same can be said for Lake Bell (IN A WORLD…), who plays a believable wife to Wilson, and turns in a solid and sincere performance that feels anything but typical Hollywood. There’s a few scenes with the two actors where they really look and act like a real couple, and I totally bought into them being in sync with each other as husband and wife in dire situations. Pierce Brosnan is used a little more sparingly that most might expect, but makes the most of his moments, playing more of a loner type masking his real persona. He’s the tough guy you’d expect to see go head to head with the opposing forces here, though this movie isn’t about him but rather a family ill-equipped to survive such horrible scenarios. His Hammond shows up (arguably) at rather convenient times to lend the Dwyers a hand, but he’s never overused, which is refreshing. One could argue that Brosnan’s character in the film could easily have his own movie as a back story, showing who he really is and how he got to where he is now. Claire Geare and Sterling Jerins are also quite good as the Dwyer daughters, reacting in what feels like very real ways. I appreciated simple moments such as one of the girls complaining about being hungry or needing to go to the bathroom. Some in the audience groaned in those scenes, but there’s a sincerity there, as that’s how real children would behave regardless of the circumstances.

The film is co-written by John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle, and directed by John, who does a superb job staging the action moments throughout the piece. Nothing ever comes off as cheesy or typical, but rather feels raw in its presentation, and compliments the film and story. Simple things like jumping from roof to roof is played in the most heart-pounding fashion, and there’s more than a few unexpected startles to keep you attentive. The film also isn’t afraid to go really dark in tone for some scenes, making you wonder just how far they’ll take things. In the end this movie is not exactly a feel-good type of production, and not even really the kind of movie you’d be likely to recommend to others. It could also be argued that it’s not the best advertisement for visiting exotic countries and Asian territories, though there’s probably a lot of truth there as well – consider it a cautionary tale. All that said, if you like thrillers that don’t feel too familiar or overly glossy, NO ESCAPE is pretty exciting fare, and satisfies in more ways than you might expect.

NO ESCAPE opens August 26, 2015

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About the Author

Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff.