Launched in 2019, “Escape Room” belongs to the horror subgenre that traps its characters in a confined environment, where they must solve puzzles to survive. Movies like Vincenzo Natali’s “Cube” perfected this idea, and “Saw,” inspired partly by actual events, expanded it to include intense gore. The genre’s simplicity, characterized by limited locations and high-concept plots, helps maintain a low budget, making it a staple in indie horror circles for years.

In “Escape Room,” a group of friends decide to try an escape room challenge for fun. However, they quickly realize it’s not just a game; the person behind it seems to take pleasure in putting them in deadly situations. Their survival relies on solving riddles, collecting clues, and making vital deductions to escape, but time is their enemy, and a delay could mean their end. It all builds up to a stunning conclusion that will leave viewers wondering, “What should I watch next?”

If “Cube” caught your interest, you might be seeking similar films to watch. In that case, you might consider the 2025 Netflix release “Brick,” a German-language horror film that combines the best elements of the genre’s classics.

Written and directed by Phillip Koch, “Brick” offers a story even more baffling than “Escape Room.” It starts with Tim (Matthias Schweighöfer) and Liv (Ruby O. Fee), a couple dealing with personal struggles; Liv is mourning a miscarriage, and Tim is engrossed in his new video game project. Just as Liv contemplates leaving Tim, she opens the door to find their entire building encased by a bizarre, magnetically charged brick wall.

Isolated from the outside with malfunctioning phones and dwindling water, their survival hangs in the balance. But that’s just the beginning. When they break through their apartment walls and join forces with other tenants, they realize someone might know more about the situation than they acknowledge. Unraveling the mystery requires teamwork and solving a series of puzzles.

Unlike many in its genre, “Brick” emphasizes character development as much as it does the narrative’s mystery and accompanying horrors as the group members dwindled. Although it follows a familiar script for such films, it does so with flair and style. If you’re in search of a film as gripping as “Escape Room,” “Brick” could be just what you need.