Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
Six people unwittingly find themselves locked in another series of escape rooms, slowly uncovering what they have in common to survive... and discovering they've all played the games before.
Despite a respectable budget of $15.0M, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions became a solid performer, earning $65.8M worldwide—a 338% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021) showcases carefully calibrated narrative architecture, characteristic of Adam Robitel's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 28 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Zoey Davis
Ben Miller
Rachel Ellis
Brianna Collier
Nathan
Theo
Amanda Harper
Main Cast & Characters
Zoey Davis
Played by Taylor Russell
Physics student and survivor of the first escape room who seeks to expose Minos and stop the deadly games.
Ben Miller
Played by Logan Miller
Working-class escape room survivor who accompanies Zoey to take down Minos and overcome his trauma.
Rachel Ellis
Played by Holland Roden
Compassionate escape room champion and former flight attendant who survived a plane crash puzzle room.
Brianna Collier
Played by Indya Moore
Tough and outspoken escape room survivor with a sharp tongue and fierce survival instinct.
Nathan
Played by Thomas Cocquerel
Quiet and methodical priest who survived a previous escape room and maintains faith under pressure.
Theo
Played by Carlito Olivero
Charismatic and confident escape room survivor who initially appears self-assured but harbors vulnerability.
Amanda Harper
Played by Deborah Ann Woll
Zoey's best friend and therapist who provides emotional support and connection to normal life.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Zoey wakes from a nightmare about the escape rooms, establishing her trauma and PTSD from the first film. She's haunted by her survival and the loss of others.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Zoey convinces Ben to travel to New York with her to find Minos and expose them. This decision sets them on a collision course with another deadly game.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 21 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to The subway car transforms into an electrified escape room. Zoey and Ben realize they've been trapped by Minos again and must play to survive. There is no going back., moving from reaction to action.
At 44 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Nathan is killed in the bank vault room when the lasers slice through him. This false defeat raises the stakes dramatically - no one is safe, and the group realizes Minos is targeting them specifically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 65 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Brianna and Theo are killed, leaving only Zoey, Ben, and Rachel. The weight of death surrounds them and Zoey nearly gives up, feeling responsible for dragging Ben back into this nightmare., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 70 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Zoey realizes the puzzles are connected to her specifically - Minos has been watching her and designed rooms around her fears. She decides to use this knowledge against them rather than be victimized by it., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Escape Room: Tournament of Champions against these established plot points, we can identify how Adam Robitel utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Escape Room: Tournament of Champions within the horror genre.
Adam Robitel's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Adam Robitel films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.4, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Escape Room: Tournament of Champions takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Adam Robitel filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Thinner, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Mary Reilly. For more Adam Robitel analyses, see Insidious: The Last Key, Escape Room.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Zoey wakes from a nightmare about the escape rooms, establishing her trauma and PTSD from the first film. She's haunted by her survival and the loss of others.
Theme
Zoey's therapist tells her that facing her fears is the only way to move past them - the theme of confronting trauma rather than running from it.
Worldbuilding
Zoey attends therapy and reconnects with Ben. They discuss their shared trauma and Zoey's obsession with finding Minos headquarters. Ben is trying to move on while Zoey cannot let go.
Disruption
Zoey convinces Ben to travel to New York with her to find Minos and expose them. This decision sets them on a collision course with another deadly game.
Resistance
Zoey and Ben arrive in New York and search for the Minos building. Their investigation leads them to the subway, where they encounter other passengers who will become their fellow competitors.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The subway car transforms into an electrified escape room. Zoey and Ben realize they've been trapped by Minos again and must play to survive. There is no going back.
Mirror World
The group of champions introduces themselves - Rachel, Brianna, Nathan, and Theo. Each is a survivor of previous Minos games, forming a new alliance of traumatized survivors who must trust each other.
Premise
The champions navigate through increasingly deadly rooms - the electrified subway, the beach room with acid rain, and the bank vault with laser security. The promise of the premise delivers escalating escape room puzzles.
Midpoint
Nathan is killed in the bank vault room when the lasers slice through him. This false defeat raises the stakes dramatically - no one is safe, and the group realizes Minos is targeting them specifically.
Opposition
The survivors continue through more rooms including the bedroom quicksand trap and the acid-filled street scene. Tensions rise as more champions die and paranoia sets in about who can be trusted.
Collapse
Brianna and Theo are killed, leaving only Zoey, Ben, and Rachel. The weight of death surrounds them and Zoey nearly gives up, feeling responsible for dragging Ben back into this nightmare.
Crisis
Zoey processes the deaths and her guilt. She questions whether her obsession with Minos led everyone to their deaths. Ben reminds her they didn't choose this - Minos did.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Zoey realizes the puzzles are connected to her specifically - Minos has been watching her and designed rooms around her fears. She decides to use this knowledge against them rather than be victimized by it.
Synthesis
Zoey and Ben reach the final room and confront the Minos gamemaster. Zoey solves the final puzzle using her trauma as a weapon. They seemingly escape and expose Minos to authorities.
Transformation
The twist ending reveals Zoey and Ben are on a plane that transforms into another escape room. Minos was always in control - their "escape" was just another game. Zoey's trauma continues, but now she faces it with defiant resolve.