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When Exam first arrived in 2009, the film quietly became one of those rare thrillers that stays with you long after the end credits roll. I first saw it the year it was released on DVD, and as a huge fan of limited-location films, this smart structured psychological puzzle hit all the right notes for me and its a film I revisit from time to time. 

Directed and co-written by Stuart Hazeldine (The Shack), Exam takes a deceptively simple premise — 8 candidates locked in a single windowless room and turns it into a compelling study of human nature under extreme pressure. The entire drama unfolds within this confined space: no elaborate sets, no sprawling locations — just pure tension and character interplay

The cast certainly deliver each actor bringing a distinct personality to their character. Luke Mably anchors the ensemble as the assertive “White,” whose ambitious drive becomes both the group’s strength and its undoing. Colin Salmon adds gravitas as the inscrutable Invigilator, setting the rules (and the dread) with quiet authority, while Gemma Chan, Nathalie Cox, Jimi Mistry, Chukwudi Iwuji, Pollyanna McIntosh, Adar Beck and John Lloyd Fillingham each bring nuance to their roles as the other candidates vying for a once-in-a-lifetime job.

What makes Exam so engaging— especially for fans of minimalist thrillers like Cube or even 12 Angry Men — is how effectively it uses its tiny environment to explore complex dynamics: cooperation versus rivalry, desperation versus integrity, and the lengths people will go to when stakes feel impossibly high.

The writing cleverly hides the “question” of the exam and turns the pursuit of its answer into the central enigma, pushing characters (and viewers) to constantly reassess motivations and alliances. The tension builds not through explosions or chase sequences, but through dialogue, subtle rule-breaking, psychological manipulation, and mounting frustration as the clock ticks down

Critically, Exam received mixed but thoughtful responses praised for its ingenuity and tension, though some found the resolution less satisfying than the setup

Personally, I think that’s part of its charm and why I love this film: it’s a film that doesn’t give you everything on a silver platter, but instead keeps you thinking long after the door closes behind the last candidate.

In a genre where location and premise can make or break a story, Exam proves that with smart writing, committed performances, and a keen sense of rhythm, a single room can be as gripping as any wide-open world. It’s a film I’ve returned to over the years, and it still delivers that tense, cerebral experience I first loved back in 2009.