Before watching the film, I already had a feeling it was quite unique. There was some talk of it being a horror movie, which made me hesitate and consider not watching it. However, an opportunity arose to watch it very inexpensively, so I ended up seeing it in the theater.
Perhaps because it was a Monday afternoon on a weekday, I found myself alone in the theater. For a moment, the thought that it was a horror movie sparked a bit of fear, wondering if it would be truly scary. While it was slightly frightening at the beginning due to that imagery, it didn't turn out to be that kind of film. As soon as the movie began, the strong, intense sound of Ravel's "Boléro" filled the air.
The protagonist is 'the wandering man,' played by Kazunari Ninomiya. He was listening to music on the subway when he briefly removed his earphones. The instant he did, the incredibly loud cry of a baby pierced the air, grating on his nerves. A man standing in front of the baby's mother began to yell, berating her for being impolite in public.
No one, including the protagonist, intervened; they all just watched the moment unfold. The wandering man immediately put his earphones back in, and the strong "Boléro" music resumed, shutting out the world. As he got off the train, he received a call from his ex-girlfriend, who informed him that she was pregnant. Although they were currently broken up, she expressed her firm intention to have the child.
The wandering man didn't say anything specific, hesitating as he headed for the exit. From this moment, the true mission—to escape the subway station—begins. The underground passage leading to the exit is stark white, creating a sense of mental tension and disorientation. On his right side as he walks, there are vents and doors.
On the left, there are various posters. At first, he walks through the passage without giving it much thought, but something feels strange. No matter how much he walks, the same corridor continues, and he realizes he is in the same place. Furthermore, in the long passage, a bald office worker with a beard, carrying a briefcase, always walks past him.
The wandering man coughs frequently; it's mentioned he has asthma and carries water in his bag. Feeling the strangeness of the endlessly repeating passage, he finally reads a notice posted on the wall. It contains the rules explaining how to escape this corridor. It consists of four rules that one must remember and understand perfectly.
Do not miss any anomalies.
If you find an anomaly, turn back immediately.
If you find no anomalies, proceed forward.
You must exit through Exit 8.
The "anomaly" is the most crucial part, and the process is very similar to a "spot the difference" puzzle. The difficulty gradually increases, and a backstory for the "walking man" (the bald office worker) is also revealed. Although the movie is based on the game, I heard that the walking man's backstory is an original element added only for the film. While the game is a simple task of just escaping, the movie transforms this into a pursuit of a new life.
If one were to force a connection, perhaps it could be seen as an encouragement for childbirth, given Japan's low birth rate, similar to Korea's. The young boy who appears in the mid-to-late part of the film seems to serve this symbolic role. Yamato Kouchi, playing the "walking man," delivers a truly impressive performance. It wasn't as scary as I'd thought, and while the story didn't fully meet my expectations, it was still a film worth watching.
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