Title: No Way Down
First Non-Festival Release: September 30, 2026 (Theatrical Release
Director: Mohamed Chabane, Théo Jourdain Rhodes
Writer: Mohamed Chabane, Théo Jourdain Rhodes
Runtime: 95 Minutes
Starring: Alassane Diong, Manon Bresch, Bilel Chegrani, La Mano 1.9
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the Fantastic Film Festival in 2026.
There’s something so special about modern French horror films that really brings out powerful emotions through the form of exaggerated brutality. Adding extreme gore to a story steeped in some social or human topic, like home invasion (Inside, Them), the spreading of Nazism/fascism (Frontier(s)), childhood abuse (Martyrs), and rape (Irreversible, Calvaire, a French-language Belgian film), these films feature heavy body horror, torture, and extreme violence as a way of reckoning with the questions it poses. No Way Down is the latest horror film out of France to embrace the sensibilities of the French extremity movement, and it does so splendidly.
Urban legend has it that something is sinister is afoot in the giant apartment tower in Idriss’s (Alassane Diong) neighborhood, but Idriss has more reasons to dread the imposing tower. After being released from prison, Idriss attempts to get some money owed to him so he can start a new life with his girlfriend, Mélia (Manon Bresch). When Idriss is told that he must do one more favor before getting his money, investigating a squatting claim in the Kraken tower, he walks away. Unfortunately, his friend and obnoxious content creator, Marvin (Bilel Chegrani) and a gang member eager to prove himself, Ouss (La Mano 1.9), overhear the conversation and decide to take on the challenge themselves. When Mélia, who is also Marvin’s sister, discovers what he’s done, she asks Idriss to assist with her and her friend Layla (Lucie Charles-Alfred) in bringing Marvin back to earth. When murder changes the vibe of the adventure, the hapless explorers must use their collective wit and ferocity to make it out alive.
No Way Down is a dark, brutal slasher that delivers exceptional midnight scares.
It’s no wonder that the Kraken apartment complex draws so much negative attention. For all the reasons why it is anathema to the locals, it is a treat for horror fans. The eerie setting does heavy work in establishing and maintaining a sense of danger and fear throughout No Way Down that is impossible to forget. The hallways and apartments feel lived in, not just because trash and furniture are strewn about but they feel just decorated enough to appear genuinely distressed. Tight hallways and ransacked apartments allow for some fun set pieces, especially when the group is forced to explore their way out in creative and terrifying escape plans.
No Way Down uses its geography to its advantage in drawing out the tension and keeping its characters in turmoil. Effective shadow and light work keep the killer concealed until it’s too late. Twisting out tension whenever possible, the intentional use of darkness elicits this feeling that nowhere is safe and there is nothing you can do about it. The scares are plentiful and potent, even if the artificial jump scare sound effects are relied on a bit too much.
It works because the characters feel so real. Making a mix of smart, understandable, and stupid decisions, the characters of No Way Down are frustratingly relatable. Despite many openings for their escape, or taking opportunities to end the violence permanently, they always find a way to choose against their better interests until they break free last minute or die. Aside from the logistical frustrations this presents, it works for these characters. From their perspective, whatever isn’t the right decision was at least an understandable one.
The characters shine in how they show care for one another. Aside from a few business associates, the friends that find themselves trapped in Kraken are endearing, even if they can make annoying decisions. Their desire to not only survive but assist their friends makes their escape feel more personal. Flawed people don’t deserve to die. And none are more flawed than Idriss, who has personal history with the apartment complex that he carries with him. His journey in understanding and accepting his role in the state of the tower is earned in all senses. It furthers the film’s themes and shows how the violence of corruption and poverty equals that of a slasher. Mashed bloody pulp, severed limbs, and screams that never die, it’s all the same when money is involved. No Way Down convincingly balances thoughtful commentary and excellent slasher thrills.
Despite being an all-around great slasher, there are still a few disappointing aspects of No Way Down. While it has plenty to say about social issues like gentrification, the housing crisis, and local corruption, it does lack the intentionality with how it integrates the police officer uniform in the killer’s overall look. Feeling more like a provocative statement rather than an active choice to further its point on the various social ills it illuminates, its visual effectiveness only goes as far as the rationale behind it. No Way Down also incorporates two irritating and tired tropes: the indestructible bad guy trope and the disposable Black man trope.
In a slasher like No Way Down, it’s expected that the killer is abnormally strong, or otherwise lethal, and that a high body count is necessary. Barring the logic of how he survived as long as he did before the events of the film, the killer in No Way Down is unbelievably overpowered and lives through at least two impossible-to-survive situations only to still come out swinging. Additionally, it’s an irritating choice for No Way Down to treat its Black characters as unceremonious cannon fodder for the uniformed killer. It has a large Black cast obviously, but it looks less intentional with its commentary.
Despite its issues, No Way Down is a vicious little slasher that elicits nostalgia for the French extremity movement in the early 2000s. Boasting an intelligent set design, excellent use of lighting and camerawork, and some of the most spine-tingling kills you can get from a hulking psychopath led slasher, its otherwise thin story is propped up by mostly insightful commentary surrounding the housing and affordability crisis. Fans of lean, mean, and gory action horror films will find plenty of fun and terror alike in No Way Down.
Overall Score? 7/10
