Can You Solve These 5 Puzzle Films before the End?

Who is Keyser Söze?

At Krakit Escape Game, we are big fans of a movie that gets our brain gears spinning. What escape room addict isn’t?

It’s true that there are some “twist-ending” films out there that the audience has no chance of solving before the twist is revealed. However, the really good twist endings are good precisely because you can solve them—if you’ve been paying enough attention.

These films are more like puzzles than narratives that drag you from plot point to plot point. They challenge you to look closer, pay attention, and put together the clues before the end credits roll.

When a good twist ending is revealed and you haven’t already figured it out, you’re left feeling silly, because you realize the answer was under your nose the whole time. (We’re looking at you, every Harry Potter book!)

If you’re clever enough, you might have figured out the endings to these five puzzle-like films before the solution was revealed. If you haven’t seen them, well, it’s time to test your mettle.

1. Memento (2000)

It’s very easy to settle in for the ride and let Christopher Nolan’s breakthrough film bend your mind. But it’s a lot more fun if you try to solve the film’s central mystery along with memory-impaired protagonist Leonard. You won’t be able to (trust us), but even going back and trying to figure it all out is satisfying.

Film reviewer Taylor Holmes explains Memento best: “Riddles wrapped in riddles—mazes set inside mazes.”

2. The Prestige (2006)

“Of course!” you will yell at the screen. “Of course! How could I not see that?”

3. The Sixth Sense (1999)

It’s hard to believe there are people out there who haven’t seen M. Night Shyamalan’s masterpiece. That is, until you realize it was released 18 years ago, which means there are thousands of high schoolers who need to get cracking on the many puzzle pieces this film offers.

And no, it’s not the fact that the kid sees dead people.

4. Source Code (2011)

Like Memento, Source Code has us trying to solve a mystery alongside the main character. A soldier is tasked with figuring out who bombed a train by going over the event again and again through a virtual reality program. With each successive trip on the train, the puzzle becomes clearer.

5. The Usual Suspects (1995)

We still aren’t entirely sure who Keyser Söze is. Ah, well, we never claimed to be geniuses.

Test out your puzzle-solving skills in one of Krakit Vancouver Escape Game's four themed rooms: http://bookeo.com/krakit

5 Horror Films That Were Scarier Behind the Scenes

We love giving you the creeps with the horror-themed escape rooms at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game, but sometimes, setting out to freak people out puts you in danger of being the one who gets the biggest scare of all.

That’s definitely something that the cast and crew of these five famous horror films learned the hard way.

1. The Exorcist (1973)

Inarguably one of the most successful horror films of all time, The Exorcist hasn’t just been terrifying audiences for decades—its cast and crew also received a good dose of fear. Several odd occurrences made filming a nightmare: rigging fell down, sets burnt to the ground, and star Linda Blair nearly broke her back from a prop malfunction. Then there’s the large number of people connected to the film who died or fell ill during its production. It was all convincing enough that a priest was brought in to bless the set.

2. The Omen (1976)

Where to begin with “The Omen Curse.” It shouldn’t be surprising that the crew of a film about the spawn of the devil was subjected to a little bit of terror, but they definitely got more than they bargained for.

Not only did lightning strike the plane carrying novelist/screenwriter David Seltzers, lightning also struck a plane carrying star Gregory Peck. On the first day of filming, crewmembers were in a head-on car crash. After that, Peck nearly boarded another plane to Israel, which crashed and killed all onboard. Director Richard Donner didn’t escape the curse either—he was both hit by a car and stayed in a hotel that was bombed by the IRA. Worst of all: this isn’t even a complete list of what happened to the poor crew of The Omen.

3. The Shining (1980)

The behind-the-scenes horror of The Shining comes in two forms: eerie coincidence and director Stanley Kubrick’s notorious antics. At the end of filming, a massive fire broke out at the hotel that stood in as the Overlook—which is exactly what happens at the end of Stephen King’s original novel.

But the more menacing onset horror might be Kubrick’s treatment of actress Shelley Duvall. He intentionally put her under insane stress, including making her and Jack Nicholson film the famous bat scene a record-breaking 127 times. He even asked the cast and crew to torment Duvall—and the shoot lasted a massive 500 days. Sounds like a fun time.

3. The Amityville Horror (2005)

The set of The Amityville Horror, starring Ryan Reynolds, perhaps offers a better example of how a film can get in your head than of supernatural events. Just like the psychopathic character he portrays in the film, George Lutz, Reynolds woke up precisely at 3:15 am. And it wasn’t just him—several members of the crew found their eyes popping open at this particular hour.

5. The Conjuring 1 and 2 (2013 and 2016)

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga must be braver than the average Hollywood star, because they filmed not one but two Conjuring films—with supernatural events occurring on both sets. The crew’s hotel caught on fire, a member of the real-life family that the film is based on broke a hip, and dogs started barking when no one was around. Creepiest of all, curtains moved when there was no wind, while trees stood still when there was. We’ll see if the stars come back for a third Conjuring, or if they’ve had enough.

Now we dare you to play one of Krakit’s three horror-themed escape rooms with the scary-factor turned all the way up to 11. Book here: http://bookeo.com/krakit.

Summertime and the Escaping Is Easy: 10 Summeriest Escape Films

Blake Lively trying to escape an overachieving shark in The Shallows

Whether your fancy is horror, adventure, thriller, or kid friendly, there’s a summertime escape film for you. After you’re done picking up tips from these 10 flicks, you can test out your own escape prowess at one of Krakit Vancouver Escape Game’s four themed rooms.

1. Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Though a great watch in any season, summer is the perfect time to revisit Dana and her compadres as they try to outwit and escape the lineup of horror film monsters set upon them by a twisted crew of reality TV show makers.

2. The Great Outdoors (1988)

John Candy, an oversized steak, creepy twin girls, a misunderstood bear, and an epic cave escape scene. What’s not to love about this summer classic?

3. The Descent (2005)

Talk about your summertime outing gone wrong. When a spelunker thinks she can spice up her friends’ day by taking them to an undiscovered cave system, she really just goes ahead and ruins the whole spelunking season.

4. The Beach (2000)

Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his pals think they’re escaping civilization when they set out to find a beach that’s rumoured to be paradise on earth. Cut to poor Rich trying to escape the hellscape it becomes.

5. Homeward Bound (1993)

The Seavers family think they’re going off on vacation, but their two dogs and cat think they’re heading off forever. The three pets escape the ranch they’re meant to be chilling at and embark on a crazy dangerous journey back home to San Fran.

6. Deliverance (1972)

Decidedly not one for the kids, this classic film is set in the backwoods of Georgia, where four city slickers think they’ll have a nice summer getaway. Nope. Just nope. Their main objective soon turns to escaping the woods with their lives intact.

7. The Hills Have Eyes (19777)

Wes Craven’s dusty desert-set slasher flick takes a similar turn to Deliverance, where a nice family vacay turns into a desperate bid to escape a landscape they don’t know and a group of people who are none too friendly.

8. A Perfect Getaway (2009)

This overlooked thriller is set in luscious Hawaii, but unfortunately for the two couples (including Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) who are hiking through the beautiful terrain, some psychopaths are killing people on the trail. And, yep, you guessed it: their perfect holiday getaway turns into the perfect “run for your life”-type getaway.

9. The Shallows (2016)

It’s not an escape game any of us would like to play: outwit and wait out a bloodthirsty shark while standing on a teeny tiny rock in the middle of the open ocean. Blake Lively takes on the challenge with aplomb.

10. Super 8 (2011)

A group of ambitious kids plan on spending their summer making a noir-inspired flick. They end up spending it dodging supernatural events and escaping the clutches of a big ol’ alien. Comme ci comme ça.

Get your own summer escape on by booking an escape room challenge for you and your friends here.

Top 3 Restaged Jump Scares in Horror History

With the new version of It hitting theatres later this year and its ultra-intense trailer already giving us nightmares, we thought it was high time to revisit one of our favourite topics here at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game: the jump scare.

Some horror films and thrillers get away without featuring a jump scare, but where’s the fun in that? Being on the edge of your seat and literally jumping out of it is part of what makes scary movies so addictive.

So, without further ado, here are our top three favourite jump scares that you already know are coming. Yet, whether it's from a remake that restages a jump scare from the original or a sequel that leans heavily on the original, these jump scares still do the trick.

3. The Thing (1982/2011)

Maybe it’s John Carpenter’s original 1982 version starring Kurt Russell or maybe it’s the CGI-heavy 2011 remake that does it for you. In any case, when it comes to The Thing, the alien creature’s habit of popping out of where you least expect—whether an ice block or a human chest—is sure to get your heart racing.

2. The Blair Witch Project (1999) / Blair Witch (2016)

Sure, the new Blair Witch film is basically like a shot-for-shot remake of the original, but that also includes repeating its best jump scare. Fancy staring into a corner in a super creepy house for all eternity, anyone?

1. It (1990/2017)

Right, we know we’ve only seen the trailer for the 2017 film, but Pennywise has already managed to do it again. Whether it’s Tim Curry in the original 1990 TV version or Bill Skarsgård in the forthcoming movie, the anticipation of seeing Pennywise’s horrible painted face appear in that sewer grate is almost too much to bear.



See how many jump scares you can count during your 45 minutes in Krakit’s Zombie Apocalypse escape game. Book now.

Can’t Escape That Feeling: 5 Best Horror Love Stories

Zombies need love too (Photo: Kenny Louie)

Love Valentine’s Day but don’t love sappy rom coms? Neither do we here at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game.

We’re completely sure that celebrating love doesn’t require red roses and sparkling wine, goopy rain-drenched kisses, or even chocolates (though that’s never really bad is it). Why are we so certain? Just take a look at these equally horrorific and lovey-dovey couples.

5. Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas

They may not be perfect—he has no flesh and hers keeps falling apart—but they’re perfect for each other. Despite Dr. Finkelstein’s attempts to keep them apart, the pair end Tim Burton’s beloved Claymation classic by declaring their love in lovely, romantic graveyard.

4. Edward and Kim from Edward Scissorhands

While there is no rain-filled kiss scene in yet another creepy romance from Tim Burton, there is a snow-filled dance that even Belle and the Beast would envy, when Edward makes it snow by carving an ice sculpture in Kim’s likeness. Like Belle, though Kim finds Edward super weird at first, she ends up falling for her very own beast—though things turn out rather less happily.

3. Oskar and Eli from Let the Right One In

Is there anything more precious than first love? Even if it’s with a vampire? Oskar, from the dark and moody Swedish indie flick, doesn’t let Eli’s penchant for killing human beings ruin his feelings for her. In fact, it makes him like her even more.

2. Buffy and Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

A tortured love story to rival Romeo and Juliet’s—only with a whole lot more dying. Could their tale be any more tragic, guys? There are probably some people out there still hoping that Buffy and Angel get back together. Fingers crossed.

1. Eve and Adam from Only Lovers Left Alive

We’re starting to sense a theme here. Despite some franchise doing their best to ruin it, there really is something romantic about vampires, despite their unsettling bloodlust—it must be that whole immortal thing. No film portrays this better than Jim Jarmusch’s quiet film, which tells the story of a devoted vampire couple through the ages. Eve and Adam are really just a great couple to aspire to this Valentine’s Day, whether you’re a vampire or not.

Take your own eternal love on a Valentine’s date to remember at our Vancouver escape game. Book here: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Zombies and Monsters and Serial Killers, Oh My: 7 of Canada’s Best Horror Flicks

Still from Tucker and Dale vs Evil

Although Canadians are known internationally for being “so nice and polite,” we’ve definitely got a dark side. That’s definitely something we explore at Krakit Escape Game, putting you right into the action of your favourite zombie flick or creature feature. We get a lot of our inspiration from the cinema, with a lot of horror classics come from our own backyard.

Here’s seven of our favourites.

1. Ginger Snaps (2000)

A modern horror staple, featuring two sisters whose lives get a little out of control when one of them is bitten by a werewolf. Director John Edwards hails from Edmonton, and its star, Katharine Isabelle, was born right here in Vancouver.

2. The Fly (1986)

National treasure David Cronenberg is behind this seriously creepy Jeff Goldblum vehicle, telling the nightmarish tale of a man-fly hybrid.

3. Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)

Though set in Virginia and directed by a Californian, top-shelf comedy-horror flick Tucker and Dale nevertheless stars Tyler Labine (of Breaker High) and was produced with the help of some Canadian grants.

4. The Witch (2015)

Another Canadian co-production, the horror standout of 2015—Robert Eggers’s The Witch—was filmed entirely in Ontario, though set in 1630s New England, which apparently suffered an unfortunate outbreak of devil worshipping.

5. Black Christmas (1974)

This decidedly Canadian slasher film takes place in a sorority over Christmas—the perfect time for a serial killer to wreak havoc on unsuspecting co-eds.

6. American Mary (2012)

Vancouver’s own Twisted Twins, aka Jen and Sylvia Soska, brought in Ginger Snaps’s Katharine Isabelle to star in their gory tale of a medical student turned body modifier.

7. Pontypool (2008)

Pontypool has that rare quality of being a Canadian film that’s actually set in Canada—Pontypool, Ontario—which tells the story of a deadly virus infecting the small town.

Fancy staring in your own Canadian horror? Book one of Krakit’s horror-themed escape games and see whether you’re first victim or final girl material. <bookeo link>

Halloween Escape Games: 11 Best Haunted House Films

Here it is: October—the most wonderful month of the year. While we at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game are no stranger to horror movie marathons, this month is for going all out on spooky flicks.

In honour of our Haunted House for the Halloween season (book online here—no lineup required!), we’ve put together a list of our favourite haunted house films.

Like our escape rooms, there’s something here for everyone, from kids to adults, from newbies to horror film freaks, and from unshakeable, unspookable stalwarts to those who will only watch from between their fingers.

First, the classics:

1. House on Haunted Hill (1959)

When someone offers you an obscene amount of money to stay in a haunted house, there’s probably a reason the reward is so large. Especially if the person asking is horror king Vincent Price. Remember to just say no.

2. House (1977)

In this Japanese cult classic, a girl and her six friends go on a trip to her aunt’s house in the countryside. It’s full of fun things like totally non-dangerous wells, clocks, pianos, and kitty cats.

3. Poltergeist (1982)

If you insist on putting a housing development on ancient burial grounds, you’re probably going to have a problem. Not least of all with your electricity and cabinetry, as it turns out.

Next up, the gore fests:

4. Thir13en Ghosts (2011)

The title alone lets you know that this is the silliest film on our list. But if you’re looking to be grossed out while you get your haunted house fix, the 13 incarcerated ghosts of this film will help you out with that.

5. Amityville Horror (2005)

Like Thir13en Ghosts, this Amityville Horror is a remake of an older film. But the remakes have much better special effects—and in this case, the added bonus of a shirtless Ryan Reynolds. A purportedly true tale of a family who moves into the site of a recent mass murder to find the killing isn’t quite over yet.

For those who like it a mite more psychological:

6. The Woman in Black (2012)

Blood and gore not your thing? The film version of the stage play of Woman in Black has tense moments galore, as a city lawyer travels to the countryside—and a massive old house—to escape his painful past. Unfortunately, he finds his future is actually to be a whole lot worse.

7. The Conjuring (2013)

Yet another purportedly real family has the misfortunate of moving into a rickety old house that holds a lot more than they bargained for. In this case, the family has the added bonus of encountering not just a ghost, but a ghost witch. Bad luck.

8. Stir of Echoes (1999)

This under-the-radar '90s thriller might just be the most psychologically tantalizing story on the list, as Kevin Bacon masterfully pulls us into his character’s unwinding as he becomes obsessed with one particular ghost—and one particular house—after being hypnotized.

And last but not least, for young and old alike:

9. Casper (1995)

Kids these days might not care who Christina Ricci and Devon Sawa are, but it’s not too late to teach them. Bonus points for cartoonish CGI that has stood the test of time.

10. Monster House (2006)

Like the eponymous house itself, this film is somewhere between a haunted house film and a monster flick—but it’s such a good time we’ve added it to the list anyway. Three teens set out to prove that the house next door is a-a-a-live!!

11. Beetlejuice (1988)

This entry on our haunted house list should be self-explanatory, but in case not:



Book your slot at Krakit Escape Game’s Vancouver haunted house—on for the Halloween season only—here: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Haunted Escape Rooms: Top 5 Things Every Haunted House Must Have

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—at least according to us at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game. When the nights grow longer than the days, that means one thing: more time for creepy crawlies and spooky ghouls to do their thing. Namely, scaring us human types.

To celebrate the fall season and the approach of Halloween, we’re making one of our escape rooms into a full-fledged haunted house experience. So not only do you need to use your brain to solve the puzzles and escape the room, you also need to watch your back, because you never know who—or what—might be lurking, just out of sight ...

As every horror fan knows, there are certain elements that every haunted house needs, especially these five.

5. Ambience

Dry ice? Spooky music? Low lighting? A chilling draft coming from somewhere unidentifiable? That’s all part of building the truly eerie haunted house experience. If your haunted house doesn’t have at least one element that raises your hackles before the experience even begins, they’re not doing it right.

4. Loud and sudden noises

There’s nothing more frightening than walking around a darkened and silent room when—bang!—there comes a sudden pounding from the other side of the door. This incredibly vital haunted house element is a big part of the next item on our list ...

3. The jump scare

The jump scare is a staple of horror cinema—and Krakit’s haunted house-inspired escape game, too, of course. These all-important rushes of adrenaline come courtesy of sudden loud noises and the unexpected emergence of a masked menace from a corner you previously thought empty.

Remember: no haunted room can be called complete without at least one live actor to scare the bejeesus out of you when you least expect it.

2. Perfect timing

You’ve got your horror-soaked ambience, you’ve got your Method actor going mad in the break room, just waiting to drag their fingernails across an unsuspecting guest’s back—what else do you need? Absolutely perfect timing.

The best haunted houses have a perfect tension between empty moments that build the tension and all-too-sudden events that make your heart pound.

1. A good story

Everything else won’t work the way it’s supposed to if there’s not a good narrative to go along with it. More than anything, haunted houses—and escape rooms, too—are about engaging the imagination. An immersive story to get you hooked from the get-go will make every shadow deeper, every noise louder, and every sudden scare that much more heart pounding. Accept no imitations this Halloween.

Above is just a little of what you can expect when you book your haunted house escape game with us here in Greater Vancouver. Grab a slot here: http://bookeo.com/krakit.

Escape, Murder, Sleepaway Camp: Top 5 Summer Horror Films

Don't let that scenery fool you—camping is far from peaceful

Summer is the best time for horror films. Or at least that’s how we feel here at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game. In summertime, everyone is free and easy, and even people who aren’t usually up for a scary movie will watch one when the sun stays up until 9 pm.

Not only is summer the best time to watch tales of escape, murder, and sleepaway camp, but it’s also one of the classic horror film settings. It’s probably for the same reasons we listed above: everyone is free and easy—making the appearance of a decidedly uptight murderous maniac all the more unexpected.

1. Jaws (1975)

With one simple line, Steven Spielberg ruined summer for millions of kids: “Don’t go in the water.” The beachgoers in Jaws likewise have their summer ruined, when the resort town they’re all hyped to be at turns out to have a monstrous man-eating shark trawling its pristine waters. Oh well, there’s always next summer.

2. Friday the 13th (1980)

Arguably the most iconic summer-themed horror film, with little (or not so little) Jason Voorhees unable to leave the grounds of Camp Crystal Lake after tragically drowning there. His mother doesn’t help the situation either, making sure Jason’s death is never resolved thanks to her murderous rampage on the camp counsellors.

3. Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Playing on the success of Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp has a similar premise to its predecessor, with one crucial difference: this time it’s a girl who is bullied at camp! Or—is it? Bizarre moments and plot twists abound in Robert Hiltzik’s film, making it a cult favourite.

4. Cabin in the Woods (2012)

In the more recent Cabin in the Woods, an unsuspecting group of friends is heading for a—you guessed it—fun and carefree camping trip. Unlucky for them, the summer horror film is by now a well-studied phenomenon, with the bizarre moments dialed up to 11 by a team of experts. Unfortunately, this means their chances of escape aren’t looking good.

5. The Final Girls (2015)

By now, the summer-themed horror film has developed into pure parody, as seen with 2015’s The Final Girls. Though escape and murder are still on the menu, the top priority here is comedy. After falling through a cinema screen into a Friday the 13th-esque horror film set at Camp Bloodbath, a group of friends must figure out a way to dodge the murderous maniac and also somehow get back to reality.



Try your luck with Krakit Vancouver Escape Game’s own homicidal maniacs in our Saw or Asylum escape rooms. Book a slot here: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Woods, Cubes, and Hills: 5 Best Canadian Escape Thrillers

Canada is kind of a scary place. No—really. We’re not all polite mounties and adorable moose. Our country is vast, and full of dark corners. This place is mysterious! All you have to do is look at Canada’s film legacy to know that our countrymen have got a seriously dark edge—and a fear of getting stuck in any number of terrible situations.

Have you seen The Revenant? Sure, it’s not set in Canada, but we all know it is Canada (Kananaskis Country in Alberta and Squamish, BC, to be exact). Need we say more? It’s a scary place.

In fact, this entire country could be considered an escape game, given the right situation. Whether thriller, horror, or drama, the Canadian films below certainly have escape on the mind. It’s simply an anxiety that comes with living in a sprawling, unknowable, unpredictable country.

Krakit’s Five Favourite Canadian Escape Thrillers

1. Cube (1997)

What began as a Canadian Film Centre First Feature Project has turned into one of sci-fi’s most beloved cult films. Six strangers wake up in a maze made of a series of interconnecting cubes. Unfortunately, some of the cubes are death traps just waiting for some unlucky soul to crawl into their centres.

2. Backcountry (2014)

Here is Canada in all its glory: the great outdoors. But in this case, the outdoors ain’t so great. Two campers—who come from the city, of course—get lost in one Canada’s many provincial parks. Unfortunately, the bear that’s tracking them knows the woods a whole lot better than they do. Even better: Montreal-born director Adam MacDonald based his film on a true story.

3. Silent Hill (2006)

The video game may not be Canadian, but the creepy, nightmare-inducing film version is the work of Flin Flon’s own Roger Avary (who also works a lot with Quentin Tarantino). In the search for her daughter, a woman enters the deserted town of Silent Hill—then finds herself desperately trying to escape it.

4. The Captive (2014)

Vancouver-born Ryan Reynolds—currently the darling of both Hollywood and the Internet in general—stars in fellow Canadian Atom Egoyan’s recent crime drama. A little girl goes missing, locked up against her will and unable to escape. It’s eight years later, and her father, Matthew (Reynolds), begins to experience strange events that suggest she’s still alive.

5. Prisoners (2013)

Celebrated Quebec director Denis Villeneuve helms this offbeat thriller, which sees a troubled cop (Jake Gyllenhaal) and an anguished father (Hugh Jackman) go head-to-head as they try to track down the man’s missing daughter and her friend. Things quickly spiral out of control as desperate men take desperate measures. This film is not advised for people afraid of small spaces.


Book your own escape thriller in one of Krakit Vancouver Escape Game's four themed rooms, here: http://bookeo.com/krakit.

Cracking Horror-Themed Escape Rooms: The Benefits of Fear

Though not all of our rooms at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game have a hair-raising theme, you’ll notice we do have a taste for the horror-esque. Beyond being fans of horror films and spooky thrills, we use scary scenarios for our escape rooms because it adds to the challenge—and excitement—of the game.

In addition to pumping more of those fun, fun endorphins into your bloodstream, here are a few other benefits that our horror-themed escape games bring.

1. The ante is upped

Quite simply, the added pressure of escaping from the clutches of a madman or a horde of zombies ups the ante. Even though you know its not real, psychologically you’ll be much more motivated to save you and your team mates from certain death than you are to solve a scenario with lower stakes.

2. Fear is good for you

There’s nothing that will give you focus like a good dose of fear. It helps you to zero in on what’s important, which is a huge benefit when it comes to the basic goals of an escape game. With the shot of adrenaline that comes from the sound of zombie fingernails scraping on the other side of the door, quickly assessing the clues in the room and piecing them together will be your only interest.

3. Stress is your friend

Any escape game scenario is going to be a little bit stressful: all it takes for most of us to develop sweat on our brow is the knowledge that there is a clock ticking down the seconds until we’re deemed either a success or a failure. Add the knowledge that a chemical lobotomy also awaits at the end of the countdown, and badda-boom: you’re doubly stressed.

We know what you’re thinking: Why would I want to be even more stressed?! Because, friends, stress can actually boost brainpower and stimulate your drive to succeed. Not a bad trade off!

An escape room with a scary scenario, besides being extra fun for horror fans, actually puts you in conditions that will make you your best puzzle-solving you: focused, motivated, brain boosted.

Despite all this talk of the benefits of fear and stress, please do remember that an escape game

is meant to test your wits, not your ability to be in small or confined spaces. It’s a puzzle room, not a claustrophobia challenge!

Book your next go-round with our zombies or asylum here: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Top 5 Jump Scares in Film History

Here at Krakit Escape Room, one of our favourite things in films and in our escape games is the jump scare. Why? Because it’s the best part of being a horror fan—it’s what we’re all waiting for and simultaneously what we’re all dreading.

The music starts to get all intense and screechy or, alternatively, everything drops dead silent. And then—WHAM. It’s got you. Because there are two essential parts to any good jump scare: the build up and the actual scare. One just can’t exist without the other.

Below we list our top five perfectly built up and perfectly executed jump scares. (Spoilers ahead!)

5. Alien (1979)—Dallas’s death in the air vents

In Alien, it’s the ping, ping, pinging of the motion tracker that builds much of the suspense the franchise is known for. And this scene is no exception. Nostromo captain Dallas crawls into the pitch-black vents in an attempt to force the xenomorph into the airlock, and then out into outer space. We watch, breathlessly, as the pings of his tracker getting ever more frequent.

Unfortunately, the alien has the upper hand in the dark, cramped space of the air vents, popping up out of the blackness to end it all for Dallas, in one of cinema’s classics jump scares.

4. It Follows (2014)—The bedroom scene

A primary reason It Follows has been named one of the best horror films in recent years is it’s perfect use of music to build up tension. It uses a classic screeching horror score in combination with dead silence to pull off some masterful scare jumps. This scene, where a tall man suddenly enters Jay’s bedroom, is one of the film’s best.

3. Mulholland Drive (2001)—Diner dream scene

Though more of a thriller than a horror, David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive has one of the most perfectly controlled jump scares out there. The very simple yet incredibly eerie build up—during which a man tells another man of a strange dream he had about the very diner they’re sitting in—is what makes this one of the best.

The slow switch from reality to dream and the two men’s incredibly tense walk from the diner to the alleyway behind it—to see if the dream holds true—means that absolutely anything that awaited them at the end of that walk would have the audience jumping from their seats.

2. The Descent (2005)—The night vision scene

The Descent doesn’t just have a few choice jump scares, but actually employs the jump scare formula throughout the entire film. The “atmosphere” comes courtesy of the labyrinthine and claustrophobic cave chain the protagonists are stuck in, and the “scare” comes courtesy of the creatures that are down there with them, just waiting to pop out.

The creatures’ first appearance, in the night vision scene, is just the cherry on top of a perfectly nerve-wracking film with several acutely scary moments.

1. The Shining (1980)—Danny’s tricycle ride

This granddaddy of all jump scares has an incredibly long build up and a flawless payoff.

We watch little Danny Torrance take the most terrifying bicycle ride in history, with every corner he turns becoming more and more stressful. With one major false start at the middle that makes the audience drop its guard too early, the scene’s grand finale—the sudden appearance of the Grady twins—is almost more than a viewer can take.

At Krakit, we employ live actors to spice up our eerie atmospheres with a right good scare. But remember, the jumps you get at Krakit Vancouver Escape Room are all in good fun! There’s never any real danger.

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and the Zombie Period Film

What’s better than a classic Jane Austen flick? A Jane Austen flick with zombies, of course. Ever since the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came out in 2009, we’ve been waiting for the film version. Finally, our wishes have been fulfilled: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies the movie opens in cinemas Friday, February 5. 

Krakit Vancouver Escape Game wants to share our excitement with you, our clever and scheming escapees. So, we’re offering passes to a screening of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, with every Krakit winner entered into a draw for two passes. Plus there are some hidden movie codes in our escape rooms. 

In honour of the zombified version of Jane Austen’s classic tale set in 19th-century England, we’ve compiled a list of our other favourite Zombie Period Films—a niche genre, to be sure, but a good one.

1. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Sure, there’s debate whether Frankenstein’s monster even counts as a zombie, since he’s sewn together from many different beings. But, he’s reanimated dead flesh—which means, in our books, he’s in. Set in the late 1790s, Frankenstein is one of the first philosophical think pieces of the plight of the zombie.

2. Dead Snow (2009)
This Norwegian horror-comedy may be set in contemporary times, but the zombies the cast encounters are straight out of the 1940s: evil undead Nazis, still in trench coats and helmets.

3. 300 (2006)
Zack Snyder’s wild tale of an outnumbered Spartan army may seem like a surprise entry on this Zombie Period Film list. But then you remember that the Persian Xerxes army is made up of immortals who are referred to the “undead elite royal bodyguard.” And there you have it: a heavily costumed battle between humans and zombies in 480 BCE.

4. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
Speaking of undead armies, the second installment of LOTR features its own set of zombie troops: the Army of the Dead. Sure, Middle Earth might not be a real place, but given the amount of costumes and the olde timey feel, it deserves a spot in the Zombie Period Film pantheon.

5. Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)
It’s the 1860s, and America is in the midst of its horrendous Civil War. But things take a turn for the much worse when the Confederate soldiers begin rising from the dead. Luckily, President Lincoln is a badass in more ways than one.

Book your spot at our Vancouver escape game before the premiere of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for your chance to win passes for you and a pal.

The Stock Characters of Horror—And Escape Games

We all know (and love) the stock characters that show up in almost every scary film. They’re what make the horror universe go round. 

When you’re plunged into Krakit’s horror-themed escape games, you might just find yourself taking on one of these personas—it’s hard not to, really. The question is: Which character will you become when put under pressure at our Vancouver escape room?

The Jumpy One

The first one to know something creepy is going on—yet no one ever believes them. Maybe you’ll figure out the first clue in our Saw Escape Room, but no one will listen. Luckily, you can just wait until the end to brag about your intuition, instead of being the first one picked off.

The Backstabber

The person in the group who does not have everyone’s best interest at heart. They’ll push you down so they can get away from the zombie hoard. Let’s hope no one on your escape game team gives into these tendencies …

The Know-It-All

The one who is so sure they’ve got it in the bag, only to find out they have no idea. Their demise in horror films is often met with cheers. Remember: It’s not always the classically “smart one” who gets escape game clues first. It takes all sorts to solve Krakit’s puzzles.

The Clever Fool

The pal who’s a solid good time, but who isn’t really much help when it comes to getting work done—like dodging a savage serial killer, for example. Or, at least that’s what everyone thinks. More often than not, The Clever Fool offers up an unexpected epiphany that saves the day—or cracks the code.

The Final One

They’re the one at the centre of the story, the person featured on the film poster. Yet without the efforts of everyone else in the group—yes, even The Know-It-All—they’d never make it out alive. Happily, everyone at Krakit Escape Game makes it out alive, so everyone gets to be The Final One.

Looking to star in your horror flick this Halloween? Book one of our horror-themed escape rooms online here—before it’s too late!

The Three Most Ingenious Traps from the Saw Franchise

There’s a new room at our Vancouver escape game, which takes all the panic and urgency of the Saw films and gives you 45 minutes to escape a life-or-death trap. Think you could think straight under such intense conditions and make it out alive?

In celebration of Krakit’s new Saw Room, we’ve crowned some of the series’ best traps below. (Spoilers ahead!)

Best motivation for teamwork: The Sewer in Saw V

The five people trapped in a sewer in Saw V must pass not one, but four, tests. Each of the tests requires teamwork to escape alive—but unfortunately this group isn’t the best at putting their heads together (har har har). They have to dodge group decapitation, search through glass-filled jars for keys, drain their own blood, and climb into a coffin. No big deal, right? They all could’ve survived if they just worked together but, uh, they don’t.

Most likely to happen in the real world: The Bathroom Trap in Saw I

The scenario that originally captivated audiences is still one of Saw’s most powerful: Adam Stanheight and Dr. Lawrence Gordon are faced with cutting off a foot to escape death. This trap is extra simple compared to the traps later on, yet it’s still one of the most shudder-worthy—because it’s something we can viscerally imagine doing ourselves. Being forced to cut off one of your limbs to survive could actually happen—as Aron Lee Ralston, the inspiration behind the film 127 Hours, knows very well.

Worst game of “Would You Rather”: The Angel Trap aka The Rib Spreader from Saw III

Allison Kerry, a detective who has had the bad luck to have been working on the Jigsaw case, awakes in in a metal contraption hanging from the ceiling. There’s a jar of acid next to her, with a key inside. Billy the Puppet tells her she either has to unlock the contraption by reaching into the jar of acid, with her bare hand, before the key dissolves, or the metal straightjacket will pull off all her ribs. Unlucky for her, this game of “Would You Rather” makes her sample both options.

The 10 Creepiest Captivity Spaces in Film

The struggle to break free is what makes the countdown clock at Krakit tick so loudly—even though there’s no real danger, there’s still a lot at stake. There’s just something about being locked up, no matter the situation, that brings out our primal urge to get the heck out.

We previously covered the best cinematic captors to scare the dickens out of us, counting down “The 10 Best Alien, Beastly, and Supernatural Captors” and “The 10 Best All-Too-Human Captors” to ever terrorize the big screen.

Now we dive into the situations and places where the only option left is to escape—or perish.

10. The dome in the Hunger Games series

Twenty-four randomly chosen kids are forced into a dome of death constructed by sadistic adults for entertainment purposes, where the only escape is by murder. Not fun. 

9. The house in House

This late-’70s Japanese gem sees a pack of teenage girls trapped in a bloodthirsty house that boasts possessed appliances and other supernatural traps.

8. The maze in Cube

A grid of interconnected cubes leaves its prisoners wondering which is just a regular old cube and which is an instant death trap.

7. The pit in The Silence of the Lambs

You’re kept at the bottom of a mouldy well and the only thing to think about all day is when the crazed lunatic who put you there is going to use your skin for his next outfit.

6. The town in Groundhog Day

This may not be a scary movie, but Bill Murray does resort to suicide (multiple times) just to get out of Punxatawney. Here, charmingly, the only escape turns out to be love.

5. The serial killer’s brain in The Cell 

Not only does the serial killer in The Cell keep his victims in a Plexiglas case that automatically fills with water, but poor Jennifer Lopez spends the film desperately trying to escape his bizarro mind.

4. The panic room in Panic Room 

Nothing bonds a mother and daughter (who’s asthmatic, naturally) like being trapped in a concrete- and steel-encased panic room while a team of thieves do their best to kill them from the outside.

3. The Overlook Hotel in The Shining 

Tired of hanging out in a haunted and shifting hotel in the middle of nowhere in the dead of winter? Where you going to escape to, Danny? Oh, a snowy hedge maze? Good luck with that.

2. The coffin in Buried

As horrible as it would be to be trapped in a creepy sprawling hotel, waking up in a tiny coffin, deep underground, with only a lighter and a cell phone to save you, would be substantially worse.

1. The multiple traps of the Saw series

Nothing compares, however, to the many, many traps laid by the vindictive and philosophizing serial killer known as Jigsaw. Sorry, pal—there’s probably a really good chance you’re not getting out of that head-slicing machine.

Be sure to get a taste of Jigsaw’s house of horrors at Krakit’s new Vancouver escape room inspired by the Saw series.

The Anatomy of a Scare

There are a couple reasons why we human beings are so addicted to horror films—but the thrill of a scare is definitely the most fun one.

That’s a thrill also on offer at Vancouver escape game Krakit. Not only are you put in a terrifying situation—a zombie apocalypse, a madman butcher on the loose—with limited time to save yourself, but live actors are prone to jump out at any minute.

All scare fans know and love that feeling: that mixture of dread and glee. Here’s how it works.

The Build Up

We step up to a scary movie or a horror-inspired escape game with some pre-existing knowledge: that is, we know something seriously creepy is going to happen. We don’t know when, we don’t know where, we just know that it will. The anticipation puts us on edge, just waiting for the moment when—

Something Happens

Though the build up is excruciatingly slow, the “something” is lighting quick. Whether it’s the sudden appearance of a menacing face in a window, the sudden cutting of the lights, or the sudden motion of something you didn’t even realize was in the room, it’s always, without fail, accompanied by a loud noise.

Involuntary Reaction

There’s always a noise, because that’s what jumpstarts your automatic nervous system, releasing a flash of fight-or-flight chemicals and making you jump involuntarily. Specifically, a loud noise activates something in our primal brain (aka the amygdala) called the Startle Circuit—which goes off with no conscious thought, taking you from “loud noise” to “spilled popcorn” in 50 milliseconds.

Giggle Fit

Because we know we’re ultimately safe—that the Krakit Butcher’s knife isn’t real—the next response is usually to laugh at ourselves. Once our lizard brain catches up and also realizes we’re not really in danger, the effects of the adrenaline pump we just received are reversed, slowing our heart rate—and preparing us for the next scare.

The 10 Best All-Too-Human Captors in Film

Last post we paid homage to the most intense, most inescapable captors of cinema who are “Alien, Beastly, or Supernatural.” Now we turn our attention to those kidnappers, hijackers, and general captivity-lovers who could be any one of us—and are all the more terrifying for it.

These big screen bad guys don’t have the excuse of being a hell-sent demon or an alien incapable of empathy: they are all-too-human. Ah, well, at least they give us some excellent inspiration for our escape rooms here at Vancouver’s Krakit! (Warning: spoilers ahead)

10. The kids from House Arrest

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare: kids who think they know better than you do—and have access to padlocks and a basement where no one can hear you scream. Worst of all: they want you to talk out all your problems. Ugh!

9. Ryan from House at the End of the Street

Sure, he seems all shy and sweet, but really he’s just waiting to make his (psychological) problems your problem. Also, has a disturbingly large supply of blue contacts.

8. Vincent from Collateral

Here’s a captor who makes no bones about his sociopathic tendencies. Hitman Vincent (Tom Cruise) holds Max (Jamie Foxx) hostage in the man’s own taxi while he goes around calmly offing people in LA. It’s Vincent’s indifference that chills here.

7. Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs 

Completely the opposite of Collateral’s Vincent is Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb: he’s a ball of anxiety when it comes to his captivity obsession. He also uses a decidedly more terrifying deep dark well to hold his victims, as compared to the comforts of a cab.

6. Mann from Interstellar

Though a relatively minor character in Interstellar, Matt Damon’s Mann gets props for trying to entrap his fellow spacepeople on a far distant planet with no hope of returning to earth. He’s got vision, if not the ability to pull it off.

5. Jigsaw from Saw

A complete icon in the horror-captivity genre, Jigsaw not only holds his victims in the creepiest of traps (dirty subterranean bathroom, anyone?), but forces them to play the worst “Would You Rather” games in the history of … ever.

4. Annie Wilkes from Misery

There’s a reason Kathy Bates won an Oscar for this role, and it has a lot to do with that deadened stare that says: “I really don’t want you to die, but I also don’t want you to ever walk again, either.”

3. Max from In Fear

Max, from 2013 low-budget indie In Fear, is a stunning combination of insane and vindictive, yet still cunning and resourceful enough to turn a simple country road into a labyrinth even Theseus couldn’t escape.

2. The serial killer siblings from The People Under the Stairs

“Mother” and “Father” from Wes Craven’s 1991 flick feature so high on our list for their captivity commitment: they keep several children under their stairs (and in their walls) for years. That’s like a full-time job.

1. The captivity company from Oldboy

The people that imprison Dae-Su make an entire business out of holding people captive—for decades at a time. If someone’s willing to pay them, they’re willing to make sure you never see sunlight again. And, y’know, go stark raving mad.

The 10 Best Alien, Beastly, and Supernatural Captors in Film

You can’t have a great escape without a great captor, now can you? You need a really good reason to jump off that too-high cliff or claw your way out of a subterranean cave.

As much as we may loathe them, we at Krakit have got to give big screen terrorizers props for creating the escape situations that thrill and inspire us. First, we start with the 10 best beastly and supernatural captors, and next post we’ll look at those captors who are, despairingly, all too human.

10. Cooper from Super 8

He’s gigantic, he’s got a weird-looking nose, and he cocoons people like a massive spider. But ultimately he’s just trying to get home, so he’s at the bottom of our list.

9. Jabba the Hutt from Return of the Jedi                          

No one can argue that Jabba is a captor without style. He chooses fashionable items for his captives, though his love of chains gets a little out of hand.

8. The virus from [REC]

While man plays a part in the terror of the unfortunate souls held captive in a Barcelona apartment building in REC, ultimate responsibility lies with the ruthless virus that lands them in quarantine in the first place.

7. The Beast from Beauty and the Beast

You probably didn’t expect to see a Disney film on this list, but here we have a captor who manages to induce Stockholm Syndrome through song and dance. It’s inspired.

6. The Female from Under the Skin

An alien lifeform that’s come to earth both to study mankind and to gorge herself on manflesh, The Female (Scarlett Johansson) has the most impressive captivity chamber of them all: a pool of immobilizing, flesh-liquefying goo.

5. The demon from The Exorcist

Forget trapping people in a building: the demon in The Exorcist jumps right into poor Regan’s body and takes up residence there. So much for feeling at home in your own skin.

4. H.A.L. from 2001: A Space Odyssey

What do you do when the super smart computer that runs your spaceship turns your tin-can home into a series of traps? Hope you’re really good at holding your breath, mostly.

 

3. The creature from The Host

Unlike Cooper from Super 8, the creature in The Host uses its den like a tank at a seafood market, with its unlucky human snacks stuck in a deep sewer with very smooth walls (terrible for climbing, you see).

2. It from It Follows

Why terrorize people by trapping them in, say, a haunted house, when you can instead turn the entire world into a nightmare that requires constant escape? The presence from It Follows can’t think of a better alternative.

1. Freddy Kreuger from A Nightmare on Elm Street

Combining the tactics of the demon from The Exorcist and the presence from It Follows, Freddy knows the best way to keep someone under lock and key is to turn their very mind into a terrifying holding cell they can’t escape. Well done, Freddy. Well done. 

Ten Escape Lessons Learned from Horror Movies: Part One

It might surprise you to learn that those horror movies you've been watching since you were old enough to stay up past midnight have been laying the groundwork for a valuable education in escape theory. "Pardon?!?" you say. Well, while your parents were spending thousands on tutors, math camp and post-secondary institutions, they could have just sat you down with an armful of horror Bluerays, DVDS or VHS tapes.

Fact: Horror movies contain all the lessons you need to survive in a dangerous environment. We treat them as entertainment, but they are actually a how-to-succeed guide for escape rooms. Here are the ten most important lessons we’ve learned from the horror genre:

10. Never leave the group.

• This should be a given, but it seems to be the most broken rule of survival in the horror movie canon. Desertion leads to death. Stick with the group and survive, at least a little bit longer. For escape room enthusiasts, you're already trapped together. So it should be pretty much near impossible to break this rule.

9. Get your hormones in check

• The heavy petting can wait until you're safely home. Any couple who stops for a quickie will be mutilated. Monsters, killers and random acts of nature hate fortification. Jason Vorhees should be the post boy for abstinence. Keep your pants sipped and your mind clear. This goes double for the escape challenge.

8. Be aware of your surroundings

• Everything seems sped up in a nightmarish scenario. But fight the urge to freak out. Take your time and examine your environment. "Oh, there's a light switch there." Or, "Oh, I guess that dark shape in the corner is the killer." Observe and report.

7. Avoid the bathroom

• You can hold it - at least for 45 minutes. Anyone who has ever stopped to use the facilities in a horror film has been threatened by death. Never shower. Never wash your face. And avoid mirrors. Especially when repeating the names of murderers.

6. Listen to the locals

• When locals warn you about the haunted mansion on the hill - there's a reason. IT"S HAUNTED! If a random doctor whispers a clue in your ear… TAKE IT!