
Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation. The enter a windowless room and an Invigilator gives them 80 minutes to answer one simple question. He outlines three rules they must obey or be disqualified: don't talk to him or the armed guard by the door, don't spoil their papers, and don't leave the room. He starts the clock and leaves. The candidates turn over their question papers--and discove... (Full plot summary below)
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Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation. The enter a windowless room and an Invigilator gives them 80 minutes to answer one simple question. He outlines three rules they must obey or be disqualified: don't talk to him or the armed guard by the door, don't spoil their papers, and don't leave the room. He starts the clock and leaves. The candidates turn over their question papers--and discovers that they're completely blank. After the initial confusion has subsided, one frustrated candidate writes 'I believe I deserve...,' and is promptly ejected for spoiling. The remaining candidates soon figure out they're permitted to talk to each other, and they agree to cooperate in order to figure out the question: then they can compete to answer it. At first they suspect the question may be hidden in their papers like a security marker in a credit card, and they figure out ways to change their environment to expose the hidden words. But light, liquids and other plans all come to naught. Soon enough, the candidates begin to uncover one another's backgrounds, prejudices, and hidden agendas. Tensions rise as the clock steadily descends towards zero, and each candidate must decide how far they are willing to go to secure the ultimate job . . .
Leave your thoughts about Exam.
| Cinema SightWesley LovellA tight psychological thriller with a slight sci-fi edge. A great find. |
| Empire MagazineNev PierceA modern morality tale in the sleek guise of a sci-fi-tinged thriller. The setting is modest, the ambition is big. |
| Little White LiesAdam WoodwardSharp editing and slick cinematography mean that, though talky in places, Exam will have you gripped right up until the stop-clock strikes zero. |
| Horror.comStaci Layne WilsonEverything is just slightly mysterious and off-kilter. |
| Observer (UK)Philip FrenchThe tale is ingeniously developed, the suspense well maintained, and you'll think more highly of it if you have to leave five minutes before the disappointing pay-off. |
| Goatdog's MoviesMichael W. Phillips, Jr.Low-budget but handsomely mounted cross between Cube and 12 Angry Men, with some script input by mystery writer Agatha Christie and literary critic Terry Eagleton. |
| Film4Catherine BrayDirector Stuart Hazeldine makes the most of a small budget and modest cast in a solidly put together watch-it-once thriller that's all about the process of solving the puzzle at its heart. |
| Sky CinemaElliott NobleNot exactly The Usual Suspects then, but a suspenseful examination of human nature that's bound to bring its creator another, bigger job. |
| Radio TimesSloan FreerThe overall result is an impressive calling card for Hazeldine, even if the climax lacks the impact promised by its ingenious set-up. |
| Time OutNigel FloydPlot twists, lighting changes and shifts of tone work hard to sustain our attention, but the script sometimes becomes too involved in solving the structural challenges it has set itself. |