What’s It About
Ten sex trafficked young women are taken from an island resort by a violent criminal gang for shipping to an overseas client. A young nurse and feisty dancer hatch an escape-plan, finding themselves in the desert fighting for survival against ruthless traffickers.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Escape kicks off with a high-octane rush. We see a woman sprinting desperately across a desert, only to stumble and impale herself on a weathered piece of wood. Her pursuer, deeming her too damaged to sell, abandons her, but she surprises him by rising up and slamming him with a rock. She then finishes him off with his own knife, adding a final touch with a pickaxe through his chest. Tamsin and Karla arrived in Fuerteventura only to be chloroformed and imprisoned by Andras and his human trafficking crew. The villains are generic and stereotypical, sporting scars, eye patches, scruffy beards, and Russian accents straight out of exploitation classics. The women, primarily skinny blondes, are mostly interchangeable, except for Karla, Tamsin, and Lucy (Sophie Rankin), who receive some characterization. The film steers clear of becoming a tech thriller and focuses on thrilling chases and confrontations. Escape is a departure from the traditional exploitation sub-genre, where women were often portrayed as helpless victims. Here, the women are depicted as strong and resourceful, fighting back with determination and intelligence. Ford’s understanding of the genre is evident in the casting of the villains, who exude menace with their menacing appearances and leering gazes. In summary, Escape is an exhilarating and surprisingly violent film that, while not as brutal as its predecessors, offers a fresh take on the exploitation genre. The women are not just eye candy but also intelligent and capable, making their fight for survival all the more engaging.
OUR RATING – A THEATER AT HOME 8