IT ENDS
Starring: Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, and Mitchell Cole
Director: Alex Ullom
ROBERT
How would you treat a journey into the infinite void… would you accept your fate, or fight against it for an escape? It Ends subverts expectations on the meaning behind the featured quartet being stuck in this never-ending spat of road because it isn’t about reveals or twists. It's about the human condition when presented with endlessness. While there isn’t much technically to speak of, the acting creates a genuine sense of push-and-pull between long-time friends being trapped in a car. This film will spark deep, philosophical discussions with your own friends on the way home from the theater; just don’t miss your turnoff.
QUENTIN
Although It Ends runs a tad too long for its simple premise, even at barely 90 minutes, I can’t deny its subtle philosophical impact. The quartet of unknown actors do a brilliant job of encapsulating the typical archetypes of those leaving college for the real world, and the unending road is a tremendous metaphor for adulthood. I hope it leads to self-introspection in people because I certainly saw myself and people I love dearly in these characters. It’s not a horror movie in the traditional sense with jump-scares and gore; it’s frightening on an entirely different level because it makes you question how you're living life.
AMARÚ
It Ends is an interesting thriller with solid performances and a thought-provoking premise, but it risks feeling repetitive as it wanders as aimlessly as its characters. Weirdly, that aimlessness is exactly what the film is looking to capture while digging deeper into the ensemble's collective psyche. Is it meant to have us think about our lives and how we spend it, or is it primarily a mind-bender that has no other reason for being than to mess us up? It Ends never ends, which is both the best and worst thing about it.
PAIGE
It Ends has an interesting concept, but it’s too aimless with its mystery. While its themes are supposed to symbolize adulthood and the routine of life through this endless road, this The Twilight Zone-like concept doesn’t amount to much within the actual story. The performances are solid, but there’s not much development, the characters aren’t given much to do, and the film drags as it goes along. It tries to be a thought-provoking piece, but there’s no real catharsis to it. To be frank, the film is a bore and way too ambiguous for its own good.
