It Ends builds a timer as real as the one the car’s occupants use, creating a “not if but when” for their resignation.
It Ends leaves answers and the degree of horror to the viewer in this existential tale on wheels. There are next to no horror moments and only a couple of jump scares, but that is not to say there’s no horror. The question is whether one can continue pursuing answers to questions when neither may matter. It Ends builds a timer as real as the one the car’s occupants use, creating a “not if but when” for their resignation.
Alex Ullom writes and directs this feature debut, building tension early on through purposeful off-putting angles. Later, it does not even need as much of this because the characters’ experiences are enough to maintain that underlying horror. The film stars four friends, trapped on a never-ending road, with supernatural terrors lurking in the woods. As they continue driving, they have decisions to make.
Making up the friends is the initial driver, quiet, reserved, Tyler, played by Mitchell Cole (Against the Spread, The Legend of Yella George), the more talkative and animated, Fisher, played by Noah Toth (Senior Prank, Ojai), the sarcastic and sharp-barbed James, played by Phinehas Yoon (Smoking Tigers, One True Loves), and the humorous and observant Day, played by Akira Jackson (Urban Flesh Eaters, Against the Spread).
It Ends Builds the Friendship Dynamics Early and Effectively
Through the chatter in the vehicle, audiences get a look at the relationships between the quartet. As Fisher and James argue about the viral “choose two to defend while the rest attack,” list with gorillas, rats, birds, and more, it’s clear that James loves to rag on Fisher. James’s relationship with Tyler is also tense, but there’s genuine affection there even if both are men of few words.
Day and Fisher joke and chat in the back, but she is also perceptive and unafraid to point out what she sees in the car. It Ends does a fantastic job building believable camaraderie. So, when things begin, moviegoers are as uncomfortable, confused, and worried as the four in the car. Each of the cast adeptly crafts the connections between them, cementing heartbreak and fear as the film progresses.
Life Imitating Art Imitating Life
The existential horror is pervasive in It Ends, reminiscent of Exit 8, but even more terrifying. As they try to puzzle through what’s happening and their options, answers fall away, becoming lost in a void. Much like life, there are no answers. There just is. That is what builds the discomfort, snaking its way up the audience’s spines. The infinite road is another version of us on the hamster wheel. So, the only question that can be answered is the one directed at oneself. Do they fight the circumstances? Or do they get off and give up? As such, It Ends has an unseen timer, ticking away with ever-increasing sensations of dread and wonder.
If viewers go in expecting blatant horror at every turn, they will leave disappointed. Here, the unknown is a built-up fear, pressing on the four friends. The question also bounces back to the audience. Would you quit? For me, it’s a no only because of what happens in the woods. Plus, there is a sense of serenity to no longer worry about responsibilities. However, the monotony inevitably captures everyone, same as the grind of life.
It Ends brings questions of existence, living, quality of life, and life’s purpose to the fore with a film that is both a terror and a comfort, a mystery and a highlight of life. It answers nothing but suggests everything with a fascinating story with minimal accoutrements to distract moviegoers. This is one you want to watch again to see if you can discern something you missed in a previous viewing. It Ends delivers an unforgettable freshman directorial outing with a cast that does justice to the story, a discomfort that remains after the credits roll and a simple answer that maybe the only purpose or value anything has is what we ascribe to it.
