The Endless (2017)

Movie Info

Won’t you be my neighbor?

Justin Smith (Justin Benson) and his brother Aaron (Aaron Moorhead) are former members of a cult who are trying to reconnect with society after escaping.  When Aaron gets a message from members of the cult that they might have ended their life, he convinces Justin to return.  Something is happening at Camp Arcadia and the surrounding area.  Aaron and Justin might become trapped in the camp in a way they never expected.

Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Benson also wrote the script), The Endless is a science-fiction horror film.  The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017 and received a United States release in 2018.  The movie is a semi-sequel (or tie-in) to the 2012 film Resolution which was also made by Benson and Moorhead.  The film was met with largely positive reviews.

I found The Endless through the internet and decided to check it out.  The movie has a unique concept and idea, but I do think that there are some problems in the execution.  Even with its faults, The Endless is an interesting trip.

I can’t wait to see what’s in the lake…never mind

The film plays like an odd (and long) episode of The Twilight Zone.  The horror is unseen and the real horror is the idea of being stuck in a loop.  People get into ruts easily and blaming the world is a common aspect.  Here, there is literally something to blame.  The horror is on repeat…and what do you do if you know it is going to happen?  It is like Groundhog’s Day combined with Sartre’s No Exit.

A problem comes with the cast.  Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead aren’t the strongest actors.  I’ve seen much worse and the same can be said for the supporting cast.  I have also seen much better is the problem.  The movie doesn’t need to be loaded with angst and over-acting, but it also feels like the characters aren’t as amazed or perplexed as they should be…you see multiple moons in the sky, my head might melt.  They all take it in stride.

And suddenly The Endless turns into the latest installment of V/H/S

The movie doesn’t go for intense visuals.  There are a few scenes that demonstrate the time loop principle (like the man in the tent), and there is a scene that hints to the creature (entity?) living beneath the lake.  The movie could have been aided by a slightly bigger budget, but they do an ok job for what they worked with.

The Endless has its moments and the concepts and ideas are solid.  The film had potential to be trippier and played more with the time loops.  I wish that there was some more urgency with the characters instead of the characters walking through a philosophical debate on what is occurring.  The horror is cumulative and the urgency lies in the viewers’ perception of what is occurring.  I just wish that Justin and Aaron were as concerned as I was.