Escape Room: Tournament of Champions - A Movie Review

We have to get out of here as soon as we can. Read any clue that you see.

Released to theaters in 2021, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is a sequel to the 2019 film. Following the events of the first film, Zoey and Ben are out for revenge. But everything starts all over again when six people find themselves back in another game. Fighting for survival, they have no choice but to do it all over again.

After watching the first Escape Room, I was curious to see what they would do with the sequel. Escape Room: Tournament of Champions manages to be an intense ride, creating new escape room scenarios. However, the sequels major flaw is that it doesn’t convey the same character depth from the first.

Taylor Russell and Logan Miller reprise their roles from the first film. Russell once again showcases her aggressive nature. I couldn’t tell if writers were trying to write a romantic subplot between the duo or if it was unfinished in the direction.

Joining them on this new adventure, Thomas Carquerel, Holland Roden, Indya Moore, and Carlita Olivero were excellent in their wit and energy. The problem is, none of these characters are given the depth they need like in the first film. I didn’t care much about the characters which is a downside because I liked their developing teamwork.

A better focus could have been attained on the characters’ backstories. Other than learning their names, we don’t learn about why they are here or their fears. I wanted to connect to these characters, like how I did in the first.

The cast had to remain in a panicked state the entire time in which I hold my head high for them. This one comment may sound silly, but I feel like there was too much yelling. My ears started to hurt by the end. I understand that tensions are high in a scenario like this. There could have been less yelling.

The film makes you feel the stress of the situation in an instant. Props go to the filmmakers for constructing brand new escape room scenarios. I honestly thought they were going to be the same as the first one. And you bet that they don’t make them an easy expedition. The bank was my favorite of the escape rooms.

Adam Robital managed to copy the same manic atmosphere from the first film, but it lacked in-depth characterization. The pacing was excellent. There were some layers of the film that were far-fetched only to meet story requirements. Not much explanation is given for how the escape rooms act.

Once the film starts in on the action, be prepared to be on the edge of your seat for the entire duration. It is an intense film. The story took some crafty twists and turns. There’s one twist that I’m still going back and forth on whether it was necessary.

Although Escape Room: Tournament of Champions is similar to the first, it still had a diverse range of creativity. The film continues in its theme to overcome your fears. Holding yourself back from living life is not good for you. Take each day one day at a time, get in touch with a therapist, and continue to face life’s challenges.

Overall, I had a good time seeing Escape Room: Tournament of Champions in the theater. It is meant to be experienced in theaters. For fans of the first Escape Room, I highly recommend that you don’t skip out on this film. It is a tense ride that takes you along on the adventure.