It’s a film that taps into a modern craze.
Our TV movie pick for tonight (Friday, 10 January) is Escape Room, the extremely underrated thriller from 2019.
Starring up-and-comer Taylor Russell (Bones and All), the film centres on six adventurous strangers who gather at a mysterious building.
This is after being invited to participate in a special escape room-set game where players compete to solve a series of puzzles to win $10,000.
“What begins as seemingly innocent fun soon turns into a living nightmare as the four men and two women discover each room is an elaborate trap that’s part of a sadistic game of life or death,” the plot synopsis reads.
Directed by Adam Robitel (Insidious 4, The Taking of Deborah Logan), Escape Room’s story – revolving around people being trapped and forced to play elaborate games to the death – is similar to Netflix’s runaway hit Squid Game, which just completed its second season.
And if you were left hankering for more of the South Korean show after its recent cliffhanger ending, the 2019 thriller – which earned mixed reviews but was a big box-office hit upon release – should satisfy that desire.
Escape Room is airing on TV tonight on BBC One at 11.30pm.
The film and its 2021 sequel, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, are also available to stream on Prime Video.
Here are some other movies airing on TV tonight:
The Mechanic – Film4 – 9pm
Jason Statham is… the mechanic (which is slang for ‘hitman’ FYI).
Beverly Hills Cop – ITV4 – 9pm
Convoy – Legend Xtra – 9pm
Helmed by legendary filmmaker Sam Peckinpah (Straw Dogs, The Wild Bunch), this ’70s road action comedy stars Kris Kristofferson and is based on the hit novelty country song ‘Convoy’.
The Man from Snowy River – TG4 – 9.15pm
An ’80s Australian Western starring Kirk Douglas in a dual role.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure – E4 – 10pm
The third and final instalment in the Maze Runner film series.
Boogie Nights – Comedy Central – 10pm
This Oscar-nominated modern classic comedy-drama stars Mark Wahlberg as a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular porn star – chronicling his rise in the ’70s and his fall in the ’80s.
Firestarter – Film4 – 10.50pm
The 2022 adaptation of the Stephen King novel with Zac Efron.
Nowhere to Run – Legend – 10.55pm
A ’90s thriller starring action man Jean-Claude Van Damme, which is widely considered one of his better movies.
Colette – BBC Two – 11.05pm
Keira Knightley stars as a woman pushed to write books under her husband’s name. Based upon the true story of French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette.
Little Fockers – Channel 4 – 11.05pm
The lesser of the Focker films.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – RTÉ One – 11.15pm
A surprise box-office hit when it came out in 2011, this comedy-drama centres on a group of British pensioners (played by the likes of Bill Nighy, Judy Dench and Maggie Smith) who move to a retirement hotel in India.
Read more:
- Netflix adds underrated mystery thriller perfect for fans of Scream and Longlegs
- A legendary war movie is one of the films on TV this evening
- Netflix adds new series with major connection to Oscar-winning Western
- One of Ireland’s best movies ever is now available to stream for free on YouTube
- The JOE Film Club Quiz: Week 28
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
