“The Exit State” is set in a near-future America collapsing into authoritarian rule, as a group of Americans flee south toward Mexico. After taking refuge in what they believe is a safe house, they quickly discover the shelter is anything but that.
Co-writer and director Gabriela Ledesma doesn’t waste a lot of time on the “why?” behind the United States’ downfall. Most of the revealed information comes from radio messages spread throughout the 93-minute runtime. Instead of lingering on logistics, she quickly moves into something more interesting — people. On one side, you have three individuals who are desperate to leave the country. Each of them is hiding something: a phone, a gun or mixtapes. On the other side are three more individuals who are risking their lives to help them. What’s not clear is if they have secrets too. As a result, the early stages of “The Exit State” are full of uncertainty.
Ledesma, Josh George and Callie Schuttera’s screenplay spends the first 30 minutes slowly building up the characters. The film then reaches a point of no return where intentions become much more clear. Nonetheless, you’re still left wondering what the ultimate end goal is. Even when it seems like “The Exit State” has shown all its cards, the lack of a final destination keeps it engaging. While the audience is already aware that something isn’t right, everything is fully divulged to the characters themselves in the final act. Although this explores a different subject, it’s similar in execution to Zoë Kravitz’s 2024 movie, “Blink Twice.” The script isn’t always progressive, however, with some of the reveals feeling less than natural.
The central topic of “The Exit State” is evident: governmental control and deception. Through this, Ledesma also explores power dynamics and human instinct. By keeping the story mostly contained to a single location, the messaging never feels in your face. In the process, it evolves from home thriller to killer horror to dark comedy.
The performances also contribute to the movie’s earnestness. Josh George (Vince) has an awkwardly friendly persona on the surface with layers of darkness underneath. He speaks and moves with a certain sort of clumsiness before shifting in an intense direction. Two “Weapons” cast members — Callie Schuttera (Claire) and Clayton Farris (Andrew) — also reunite in “The Exit State.” Schuttera’s character is the definition of a cynic. She has a friendly face, but her lines are short and direct. Nikki Dixon (Jordan), Cindy Nguyen (Zoey), Stakiah Lynn Washington (Tori), Jeremy D. Howard (Rome) and Sharon Lawrence (Agent) round out the ensemble cast. Andrew is flamboyant. Jordan questions everything. Zoey is cheerfully deceptive. Tori is quiet. Rome is genuine. The actors portray each personality well, making the characters feel like real people.
Early on, director of photography Sam Wilkerson keeps the camerawork simple to match the “everything is OK” energy of the film. Subtle shakes and movements are added as the narrative progresses. Eventually, the camera is almost always moving through pans, rotations, dolly ins and more. Production designer Lisa Garcia also gives the characters a luxurious setting to inhabit, contrasting the bleak, isolated nature of the outside world.
“The Exit State” takes place in a dystopian future that doesn’t seem too far-fetched. While politics may be the center of the premise, it’s much more about what humans will do to survive.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
