In this 2019 horror film, a special ops squad known as "Hell's Bastards" finds themselves trapped on a never-ending stairwell after a mission, forced to climb or face their demise while confronting their past sins. What is the title of this film?

The 2019 horror film you're thinking of is indeed titled "Stairs." This British production, directed by Tom Paton, premiered at Arrow Frightfest in 2019 and is also known by alternative titles such as "Black Ops" or "The Ascent." The movie centers on a special operations unit called "Hell's Bastards," who, after a mission to retrieve intel in a civil war, find themselves in a nightmarish predicament.

Following a mission where they reluctantly killed a civilian woman who issued a cryptic warning, the squad attempts to return to headquarters for debriefing. However, they become trapped on an seemingly endless stairwell within a building. The only way to survive is to continuously climb, as a mysterious and deadly force pursues them from below.

As the "Hell's Bastards" ascend, they discover that each door on the stairwell acts as a portal, forcing them to repeatedly confront and relive the traumatic events and moral compromises of their past mission. This psychological and supernatural (Review) element pushes the soldiers to face their sins and attempt to rectify their mistakes, adding a unique layer of existential dread to the action-horror premise. The film blends action and horror, exploring themes of consequence and the repercussions of violence within a visually distinct, 80s-inspired aesthetic.