Synopsis
No One Gets Out Alive is a 2021 British-American horror film directed by Santiago Menghini which he based off Adam Nevill’s 2014 novel of the same name. Netflix distributed the movie. It mixes supernatural elements of horror with thematic criticism of society’s ills. The film seeks to shock viewers with more than just ghosts and cursed objects by showcasing the harsh realities of life on the fringes of society.
The main character is Ambar (Cristina Rodlo), a young undocumented immigrant from Mexico who relocates to Cleveland, Ohio after her mother dies. With no money, legal papers, and her mother’s sudden death, Ambar is desperate to secure employment. Her limited options lead her to live at a dilapidated boarding house owned by a strange man called Red (Marc Menchaca) and his unsettling brother Becker (David Figlioli). The house, a dark and crumbling Victorian-era structure, is marked by an oppressive atmosphere. The walls appear to breathe and shadows linger in the corners for too long.
As Ambar tries to avoid deportation and find stable work, her strange experiences in the boarding house begin to deeply distress her. She begins to hear whispers and see ghostly visions of distressed women as well as having terrifying dreams that combine reality with nightmares. Though the house is physically real, these spirits seem to suggest that it is more than just haunted; it is also cursed, bound by a far older and darker force.
Her situation worsens when she learns that Red and Becker are not simply slumlords, but rather, are tied to an ancient otherworldly entity that dwells in a stone box hidden in the basement. The box, inscribed with archaic symbols and associated with pre-Columbian mythology, is a hunger-driven entity that requires sacrifices—specifically women—to provide offerings. Red and Becker entice desperate women like Ambar to the house, fully aware that their need for shelter makes them easy targets.
Forced into a brutal fight for survival, Ambar is trapped between the monstrous brothers and the supernatural entity which serve them. As she battles her outer foes, Ambar must grapple with unbearable illusions of her mother’s illness, toxins from her undocumented status, and memories she’d much rather forget. The film’s climax shows Ambar making what feels like an impossible choice: confronting the malevolent evil residing in the basement, undergoing a metamorphosis into a person she barely acknowledges.
In an intertwining twist of psychological horror and transformation, Ambar survives, but not without a cost. Red gets killed while Becker is sacrificed to a box that—magically, it seems—accepts the offering. Perhaps recognizing something within Ambar, the entity chooses to spare her. She mends her injuries and is shown sitting as if she now plays the part of her former captors, posing unsettling questions regarding power dynamics, the human price of escape, and the chilling aftermath of survival.
Cast & Crew
No One Gets Out Alive is hammered down by its strand gripping performances, especially in the context of its emotionally heavy tone. Its limited cast enhances the film’s claustrophobic atmosphere, allowing for truly intimate yet deeply disturbing character portrayals.
Cristina Rodlo as Ambar: As Ambar, she delivers a gripping performance marked by emotional complexity. Rodlo’s depiction of a covert migrant struggling to navigate a treacherous and unforgiving landscape evokes both pity and empathy for Ambar. Her character’s shift from vulnerable to unyielding is tragic yet deeply troubling.
Marc Menchaca as Red: Menchaca is noted for his performances in Ozark and The Outsider, and here as Red, he once again brings his horror-tinged talent to the screen. He portrays Red as an unsettlingly polite persona who is deeply disturbed behind a courteous veneer. The complex nature of his performance exposes a dual nature empathizing with the nightmare he endures and is simultaneously creating.
David Figlioli as Becker: Becker is a new character in the film who adds to the menace by being physically more imposing and silent, menacing voiceless presence. He is more visceral than verbal, a brooding presence in the background of several scenes.
Actresses Victoria Alcock and Joana Borja deepen the atmosphere of dread and mystery surrounding the house with their performances in supporting roles.
Director: The film marks Santiago Menghini’s feature-length debut. His direction combines the use of mood and suspense in the absence of overt gore, focusing more on psychological creepiness. Rozada’s experience with short films and visual effects gave the film its unsettling polish and concrete.
The shifting narrative and character origin in Adam Nevill’s novel, over which Jon Croker and Fernanda Coppel have written the script, make for interesting sociopolitical themes when considering Ambar’s character as an undocumented immigrant – horror grounded in a political framework is made even more harrowing.
Based on the novel by: Adam Nevill, an English writer of horror fiction. Although the film adaptations usually diverge from the source material in significant aspects, Nevill’s unique sense of despondency and rot pervades the film.
Music: Tom Schraeder’s score stands out for its languid nature, the use of ambient sound and gradual changes in tone heightening discomfort.
Cinematography: The film uses shadow and low light to highlight the house’s increasing disrepair. The camera fixes on narrow hallways, dark basements, and flickering lights to reinforce the sensation of being trapped.
IMDb ratings
At approximately 5.3 out of 10, No One Gets Out Alive’s IMDb rating indicates reception of the film is somewhat divided. Viewers have commended the atmosphere, Cristina Rodlo’s performance, and blending real-world issues with supernatural horror. Slow pacing, an ambiguous ending, and lack of resolution have been the center of critique as well.
The metaphorical style of storytelling is a film’s distinct strength. The horror genre is used as a vehicle to address serious issues like displacement, exploitation, and the alienating features of immigration systems, instead of relying on mere horror clichés. The boarding house is not only a place that is haunted but also serves as a concrete manifestation of captivity and oblivion, particularly for individuals on the fringes of society.
Engaging as the supernatural elements may be, critics have pointed out disparities within the film’s focus on economic despair and loneliness as its most fearsome characteristic. For a number of viewers, this is a welcome change, invoking horror grounded in emotional and social depth. However, those people looking for classic horror entertainment were disappointed by the film’s lack of stomach-churning excitement, as it instead took a more symbolic and subdued approach.
Conclusion
No One Gets Out Alive can be understood as a horror film of various facets. At its most immediate, it combines elements of ghost stories, Lovecraftiana, and body horror. Beneath this surface, however, it reveals itself as a politically charged immigrant narrative, detailing systemic disregard of immigrants and the politics surrounding survival against tremendous odds. What do we sacrifice to survive? And if our morals take a beating during the process, are we even the same person?
Rodlo’s character Cristina anchors the film with a performance that elevates its most supernatural elements, while also lending profoundly human aspects that resonate with the audience. Menghini’s direction, during the film’s bleak cinematography coupled with an unexpected but palpable dread, tells the bones of this unsettling, intense narrative masterfully configurating themes of horror while instilling deep, existential inquisitions.
In the end, the title serves as a grim prophecy—not just concerning the fate of the house’s victims, but also regarding the emotional scars endured and preserved by those who manage to baffle death. No One Gets Out Alive is not your classic horror flick through and through and may not be received well by purists on the hunt for universal jumpscares, however, it presents a profoundly discomforting, yet meaningful exploration of powerlessness in a world that thrives on fragility.
Watch Free Movies on Gomovies