The Endless

Two brothers return to the cult they fled from years ago to discover that the group's beliefs may be more sane than they once thought.

This film is more clever than it first appears, because it operates on at least two levels. On the surface, it is a taut, well-crafted horror story about a (possible) "death cult". We have some mysterious rituals, a missing husband, and seemingly silly camp activities that may – or may not – have a darker purpose.

Some of this is vaguely alluded to in the opening quote from H. P. Lovecraft, and further still during the lake "reveal". The scare quotes here are just because what is revealed at this moment is entirely up to the imaginations of the viewer. A certain Lovecraft story may provide a guide, or it may be merely a coincidence or red herring. But once the big reveal comes, everything goes dark, and the suspense truly becomes horror.

The subcutaneous level is focused on a theme: the truth of religion, either this one or religion in general. Though this film really only explores the reality of one (fictional) religion, it does make us wonder: what if some religions we find strange are actually right? With so many religions in the world, it is certainly possible that one or more are correct. And if the strangest ones might be right, we ought to question our own beliefs: do we believe correctly? With so many choices, it is hard to say for sure.

Though this deeper meaning may not have been intentional, it nevertheless exists and makes the film even more interesting. The filmmakers previously had a hit with "Resolution" (2012), but all signs point to "The Endless" being an even bigger success. The film played at Tribeca Film Festival on April 21, and will no doubt be seen by a wider audience throughout 2017.

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead wanted to make a film. The problem is that they're newcomers to filmmaking and didn't have the millions it usually costs to make a movie. So, they chose to star in the film, direct, produce and Benson wrote the script! In addition, although the film has some sci-fi/supernatural elements, they managed to create some stunning special effects on the cheap! Watching it is like a lesson on economical filmmaking...and it's a darned good film to boot!

Justin and Aaron (yes, the filmmakers use their real names) both apparently left a cult many years ago. Unfortunately, their lives have sucked since and not Aaron is growing wistful and wants to return to this cult for at least a visit. Exasperated, his brother eventually agrees to make the drive to the middle of no where. And, not surprisingly Aaron LOVES the place and wants to stay. Justin, on the other hand, soon learns more about the place and is scared to death...as Aaron eventually will be as well.

I would try to explain more about the plot but it's almost impossible to describe the plot. Instead, just watch it with an open mind and enjoy the high quality of the production. It's also a film with a few funny moments as well as harrowing ones...and a film that I am very happy I saw at the Philadelphia Film Festival.

I'm almost pained to watch ant film that has the tag of horror on it, as the results are so often a disappointment. The Endless however, had something I've longed for, and a level of originality that seems so rare these days

You can see it isn't exactly huge budget, but that arguably helped, a reliance more so on acring and story, rather then on mind blowing special effects. Admittedly a few scenes looked a but poor, notably the appearance of the Mountain Lion, but others such as the rope, looked great.

I loved the concept of the film, and that it left us wondering so many points. Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson did a great job.

I really enjoyed it. 7/10

Right from the door you can see that it is a limited budget, indie style movie, but doesn't make it bad in comparison to other big movies from the same genre. The storyline is pretty weird and interesting that makes you feel awkard throughout the whole movie and the concept is pretty original. The only problem I had with this movie is that it had at least 3-4 big plot holes that need to be filled so it can become a movie as a whole, like for example. how did they escape the cult in the first place ?

The Endless is a film that is easy to get pulled into due to the variety of its techniques and the intention of its direction. A daunting atmosphere is created almost instantly with ominous scoring and dramatic transitions from scene to scene. Tensions rise as the plot carefully creeps along and the cast is given room to hit notes as diverse as comedic and horrifying. However, while the craft of this movie may be clear, the drawbacks are clear as well.

Some jokes fall flat, some characters feel incomplete, and some effects look weak. The Endless gives so many gifts but, unfortunately, it delivers some misses as well. Lightly peppered throughout the existential themes and sprawling imagery are cheesy lines and forced plot points, which leaves the whole thing feeling like a slightly missed opportunity. Superb sound, pacing and direction make The Endless a fascinating film from the drop but it all comes with enough miscalculations that the tonal integrity may be questioned by some. The result is a film that has potential to form a niche following but receive some mixed reviews from the general public.

Writing: 7/10 Direction: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Acting: 5/10 Editing: 8/10 Sound: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack: 7/10 Production Design: 5/10 Casting: 5/10 Effects: 7/10

Overall Score: 7.1/10