“Escape Room” the movie, is a fast-paced film that will have you on the edge of your seat. The movie does a great job of introducing main characters in a swift and efficient way, then quickly diving into an action-packed thriller.

The recently released movie parallels can be drawn to the 2004 “Saw” franchise but the film still manages to possess originality.

Script writer Bragi F. Schut took an interesting approach in terms of connecting the characters. This allows for very opposite and specific personality types to relate to one another. At the same time, the audience is given enough personal characteristics to bond with each member of the main cast.

The camaraderie among the characters became the focus of the movie, rather than becoming yet another random plot-less murder-fest that many horror flicks fall victim to.

The PG-13 rated film focuses on the unfortunate adventures of socially awkward wiz-kid Zoey Davis (played by Taylor Russell), lonely outcast Ben Miller (Logan Miller), everyday average Mike Nolan (Tyler Labine),  brave team-player Amanda Harper (Deborah Ann Woll), successful ambitious hotshot executive Jason Walker (Jay Ellis) and video game enthusiast Danny Khan (Nik Dodani).

Each character brings a different and vital quality to the table — or rather the rooms.

Zoey’s intellect and innovative thinking were crucial in the elaborate trap in this sadistic game straddling life and death, similar to Jason’s ruthless and competitive nature. These two personality types are important for the characters to continue to even have the will to survive each room.

Danny’s extensive history for escape room success, his knack for puzzle solving and game savvy brain are all critical to the six contestants understanding of the dooming situation.

Mike and Joe both contrast the dank vibe of the mysterious and deadly experience by bringing a dark situation some light, just enough to fill the theater with laughs.

Veteran Amanda’s fearless nature corroborates the idea that everyone is vital to the collective and that the team is bigger than one person. Her attitude creates a collective understanding that working as a team is the best approach for success. Her all-for-one attitude rubs off on the other characters.

The escape rooms are each distinctive and highly detailed. Each one contains hidden dangers and an unexplained objective the group is forced to decode.

The film is full of high risk moments and has its fair share of death and violence, but the drama never gets too heavy as it has bursts of humor sprinkled throughout.

Though the writers do a good job of moving the plot of the story along, the ending of the movie was choppy and over-explained.

Scenes cut rapidly from one to the other and disrupts the previous flow of the film. Without spoiling too much the film is a set up for a sequel where the surviving characters attempt to avenge their fallen counterparts.

There are many unexpected and refreshing plot points, but I feel as though ending the movie in such a deliberate way took away from the overall experience.

All and all, I would give the movie 3.5 out of five stars.