No One Gets Out Alive (2021): A House That Feeds on Fear
No One Gets Out Alive is a slow-burning horror film released in 2021, directed by Santiago Menghini and based on the novel by Adam Nevill. This chilling story follows Ambar, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who finds herself alone, vulnerable, and desperate for a place to stay in Cleveland, Ohio. What she finds instead is a crumbling boarding house with a dark past and something malevolent lurking behind the walls.
From the moment Ambar enters the house, unease settles in. Flickering lights, strange noises, and ghostly visions blur the line between dream and reality. The house feels alive. It breathes. It watches. And it demands something more than rent.
The film works not just as a supernatural horror story, but also as a powerful metaphor for the immigrant experience. Ambar’s struggle to survive, to find work, and to navigate a world that seems stacked against her is deeply human. Her fear is not only of what haunts the house, but of being invisible in a place that does not welcome her.
Cristina Rodlo delivers a strong and vulnerable performance as Ambar, capturing the exhaustion of someone pushed beyond their limits. The supporting cast adds to the growing paranoia, especially the house’s eerie landlord who harbors secrets darker than the building itself.
As the mystery unfolds, the horror escalates. Ancient symbols, locked rooms, and terrifying sacrifices reveal a truth more disturbing than Ambar could have imagined. The house is not haunted in the traditional sense — it is a prison built to feed on suffering.
No One Gets Out Alive is a bleak and atmospheric descent into dread. It is about survival, both physical and spiritual. And in the end, the title says it all — escape may not be an option.
