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THE ENDLESS (2018) MOVIE NEWS & REVIEW

THE ENDLESS (2018) movie

Genre | Science Fiction

Classification | M

Running time | 110 minutes

Released | 22 March 2018

cast

Callie Hernandez ... Anna
Emily Montague ... Jennifer Danube
James Jordan ... Shitty Carl
Tate Ellington ... Hal
Justin Benson ... Justin Smith
Aaron Moorhead ... Aaron Smith

director

Justin Benson
Aaron Moorhead

writer

Justin Benson

cinematographer

Aaron Moorhead

music

Jimmy Lavalle

film editor

Justin Benson
Michael Felker

box office result

Worldwide $? million

Australia $? million

North America $? million

the best dialogue

THE ENDLESS (2018) MOVIE IMAGES

Images

Posters

Images

Posters

THE ENDLESS (2018) STORY SYNOPSIS

Two brothers receive a cryptic video message inspiring them to revisit the UFO death cult they escaped a decade earlier. Hoping to find the closure that they couldn't find as young men, they're forced to reconsider the cult's beliefs when confronted with unexplainable phenomena surrounding the camp. As the members prepare for the coming of a mysterious event, the brothers race to unravel the seemingly impossible truth before their lives become permanently entangled with the cult.

THE ENDLESS (2018) MOVIE REVIEW

Reviewed by Mark Geraghty | Review date 18 March 2018
Pop Movee Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Indie movie makers Aaron Moorehead and Justin Benson are back with THE ENDLESS, a time-bending, alternative-reality trip that sees two brothers (played by Moorhead & Benson) return to the “UFO Death Cult” they left ten years earlier…

THE ENDLESS starts in an unassuming manner. Two brothers, living in Los Angeles, trying to make the best of their lives, scraping by as cleaners whose means are so limited that putting a new battery in their car is a major expense. The younger brother, Aaron, played by Aaron Moorhead, receives a videotape in a package from one of the people who live at the commune the brothers left years before. Curious to find out what’s on the tape, he spends the last of their money on buying a suitable camcorder that will allow the brothers to watch it.

Elder brother Justin, played by Justin Benson, is less than impressed with his younger brother’s need to discover whatever message is on the tape. Years before, he convinced his brother to leave the commune, telling Aaron it was a “UFO Death Cult”, where men were castrated and the group were one step away from engaging in ritual suicide to fulfil their destiny.

Despite Justin’s reluctance, his agrees to take Aaron back to group to indulge his little brother’s need to confirm that their decision to leave was the right one…

THE ENDLESS is a very thoughtful film, exploring its subject matter from multiple viewpoints. To read a synopsis of the story, viewers might be dissuaded; deciding its subject matter to be too fringe for anything meaningful to be derived from the 110 minute investment required watch the film. While Justin Benson’s story takes a little bit of work to get into, once engaged, the plot starts to make more and more sense. Viewers will receive a certain level of satisfaction that when “the penny drops”, so many of the film’s discordant pieces come together in a cohesive whole that makes the film so much more enjoyable and the characters so much more sympathetic.

Moorhead and Benson deliver a film that is strong on character, strong on symbolism and holds firm to the belief that, no matter who you are, don’t be afraid to confront your fears and, if necessary, smash through them.

What’s really impressive about THE ENDLESS is the breadcrumbs that Moorhead & Benson drop form the moment the brothers take to the road and travel back to the place of their childhood. Artifacts from their past, including those at their Mother’s memorial, don’t appear to have aged a day since the boys left. A man, who Aaron recognizes as they drive up to Camp Arcadia, completely ignores him, consumed by some grievance which prevents him from acknowledging those around him. When the brothers arrive at the camp, they are surprised that many of the group appear to look exactly the same as they did when they left 10 years before. Nothing seems to add up, but Aaron’s relief that they haven’t succumbed to Justin’s “UFO Death Cult” warnings allows him to enjoy his time at Arcadia and even contemplate a return to their numbers, trying to convince Justin that at the camp, they’re taken care of by people who genuinely want to be with them. Unlike the miserable existence they’ve eked out back in LA.

Justin is not as convinced that Camp Arcadia is the place it’s made out to be…

The elder brother’s need to keep his distance is as strong, if not stronger, than Aaron’s need to want to feel that he is part of something. As a result, Justin ends up “exploring” more of the camp’s surrounding area. On one of his exercise runs he has a series of strange encounters that affirm yet challenge his belief that he should get as far away from Camp Arcadia as possible. Surprisingly, he turns to camp elder Hal, played by Tate Ellington, in search of answers. Hal, while not forthcoming with anything other than vague proclamations, encourages Justin to go fishing with his brother the next day, where, if he follows the signs, will find an answer to some of his questions.

The second half of THE ENDLESS is a reality-bending trip that sees multiple stories converge and then split off again, each dependent on Aaron and Justin being present in the moment and, then, bringing the thread to a close as they move on, each ensuing encounter bringing them closer to understanding what Camp Arcadia is. There are many influences at work in Moorhead & Benson’s film, but those viewers who admire mainstream fare such as DONNIE DARKO and THE SHINING or, even more so, the 2014 indie film COHERENCE, will take something away from THE ENDLESS. Moorhead & Benson keep things very tight and, in the process, demonstrate a clear progression in their skill as filmmakers in every department, ranging from story, cinematography, directing and editing.