User reviews

Slow start, but the end made it kind of worth it. This is the style of film that you want to follow to see how it concludes. There is an eerie vibe throughout and the dialogue itself makes this movie interesting. If you like films which involve cults then you will be interested enough to watch this, although there's more to its story then just a cult. I did like the fact that the protagonists are also the directors/writers of the film, it gives an extra touch to their acting. 7/10, a low budget film that delivers.

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

The writing had flaws and the acting by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead was too stale (they should've just stuck to directing). The 111 min run time felt like 180 mins. The pace should have been faster and the film edited down to 90 mins max. The Directing and cinematography however was very good and the overall story concept was interesting. Sure it's a low budget film, but most of the flaws wouldn't cost much to avoid/fix. It's a 6/10 from me.

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

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 low budget fantasy thriller that does a great job of capturing attention from the start. Two brothers return to the cult they "escaped" from ten years earlier to...well, it's not really all that clear why they returned, other than maybe the real world wasn't being all that nice to them. This is the whole problem with the film. Lots of creepy, strange and ominous things occur, but ultimately none of it is tied together in a meaningful way. The viewers are left with very little to grasp and the result is a film you quickly forget within minutes of the ending.

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.

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.

How are the reviews so favourable - or rather more than favourable? The writing and dialogue was cliché and quite unrealistic. The interactions were poorly acted. We laughed when we were supposed to be intrigued. It felt like a poor college film class production. The premise where the main characters would go back to "a cult", and the poor memory of events, given that it wasn't all that long ago were drastically unbelievable. I just am at a loss as to how there are so many extremely positive reviews. I've never felt betrayed by the meta score and have always closely agreed with the score and the reviews, but this one has me at a complete loss.

What to say about this film? It wasn't what I intended to see when I traveled to the cinemas last month, but it's what I got. I don't have much to say about the actors, or directors, nor their previous films. I simply walked into this movie blind. It's from this perspective that I'll put together my short review. The Endless is a film about time, life and consequences, coupled with supernatural themes and elements.

The Endless starts out poorly and awkwardly with obvious low production value, stale acting and a weirdly present shaky cam. The poor impression this put on me harmed the film in the short term, but actually left a lot of room for it to move upwards, and that it did. The film itself decently improves once the plot moves from the characters normal lives and into the isolated country area where the rest of the movie takes place.

The plot itself is the movies strongest suit, but that isn't saying much. It delivers decently on tense moments, interesting characters and creative concepts. Throughout the film I had to remain on my toes to stay on top of some of its more convoluted elements, which I'm going to put into the negative category. I honestly believe a film's plot should at least on a surface level be completely graspable in a first watch, with still plenty of underlying points and themes waiting to be discovered later.

By and large the film didn't capture my attention for very long and its even taken me a while to get around to writing this review. In summary, the film keeps itself moving on its good pacing and plot, but is constantly brought down by over-complicated elements and stale acting. I had originally considered a 7 out of 10 for the film, but on revision I think I will leave it with a 6.

This film is a sequel to a film titled Resolution for those people who wondered who the guys in the cabin were... this is world building 101, i like it

I'm giving this movie a 7/10 only in the context that I enjoyed it "as" a sequel to Resolution. In fact it's really a direct sequel. Almost like the next episode in a Tv show. Sort of like trying to weigh Breaking Bad Season 2 without season 1 having existed.

In context - the movie is rough. None of the characters carry any of the scenes. All the dialog is spoken in a sort of David lynch twin peaks manner, all monotone and just moving the story forward. Very rarely do you feel any genuine emotion from the cast.

That said the movie is weird and interesting. Two brothers who ran away from a supposed death cult and live a poverty stricken lifestyle decide to go back to the cult, which for reasons unknown never actually finalized their end, to give the younger brother some closure.

As the days pass tension mounts and the brothers begin to think the supernatural is majorly at play and things get...crazy.

The movie provides finite closure to "Resolution", the writers previous movie which ended on an insane Cabin in the Woods-esque cliff hanger. It does it well and on a whole, while slow and dry, I enjoyed this conclusion.

Out of context - Weird, slow, dry scifi in the woods film that only really becomes engaging 45 minutes in and ends on a confusing note that would leave many people angry.

Really...just watch Resolution first.

What a great little gem! I've watched this film three times - something I very rarely do. What I value the most about this film is the story line. The story is tight, and simple, and clever, which is a lot more than what I can say about many mainstream sci fi blockbusters. They probably deserve even better rating, given the limited budget they had to work with, in order to get this result. Good work!

The Endless has its flaws but the premise, the mystery at the core of the the movie and the fine music score keep things interesting. Worth a watch.

Interesting idea very poorly executed.

Comes across as a school project and rings all the wrong bells - plunky plunky miserable music when none is needed, wooden actors with wooden characters, softer focus and lens flare (all the bloody time) and dialogue delivered like hostages reading their ransom note.

The story, or should I say the idea of the story, is very good.

Too good to be wasted on this execution.

28th STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. DAY 4, NOV 11th 2017. Swedish premiere at the festival on Nov 10th.

Going on that low-budget style, the grainy and sunlit photography works well in contributing to the atmosphere of the movie. Mindblowing.

With "The Endless" (2017), directors duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead delivers their third full-feature collaboration (excluding anthology film "V/H/S Viral" (2014)), after acclaimed "Resolution" (2012) and "Spring" (2014). Written by Benson, shot by Moorhead, co-edited by Benson and Michael Felker and produced by Benson, Moorhead and a few others, the film is filled with aspiration and holds some interesting ideas.

Whenever a feature, particularly an indie flick, commences its story with a quote from Lovecraft, you just know you're in for a bizarre journey. To review The Endless' plot would be to spoil the enigmatic mystery, so apologies in advance if I rarely touch upon it. Having said that, absolute credit must given to Benson and Moorhead for comprising the film's entirety from the ground up. Impressive on such a low budget. A shame that the further the story progresses, its staying power is also lost due to its vastly convoluted plot that will leave you perplexed for a decent hour of its runtime. Two brothers who escaped a "UFO death cult" visit the campsite again after receiving a mysterious tape through the post.

Originality is the essence of filmmaking brilliance. It's so rare for modern cinema to host surrealism, mostly due to its non-marketable premise, that both Moorhead and Benson should be revered as creative geniuses. Even if, in my opinion, the plot's complexity is its downfall. Praise must be given for even attempting to convey such ambition. Lovecraftian thrills alluding to the trapped mind state of a devout religious cult member, segregated from society. Comparing the idyllic civilised lifestyle of a brainwashed member to the fearful freedom of the outside world where opportunities seem so infrequent.

Bolstered by surreal imagery, The Endless attempts to compel by sporadically implementing ostentatious breadcrumbs to unravel its absurd science-fiction premise, but its labyrinthine complexity forces other technical aspects to decrease in quality. As I said, Benson and Moorhead are multi-talented individuals. Both directing this convoluted behemoth, starring as lead actors, editing, writing, producing and providing the cinematography. But their mass involvement has meant that every element is rough around the edges. The writing often delves into synchronous banter between the two brothers that felt unnatural and often missed the mark. The writing to explain the concept? Great, if a little expositional. In contrast, the characters lack that personable touch, exhuming unusual dynamics that impossibly describe an impossible situation. The banter occasionally addresses this, but when discussing the difference between "sleeping with someone" and "going to sleep with someone", it skews the tone.

The cinematography, resembling the circular symbolism embedded throughout, was somewhat distracting. The outskirts of the camera lens being squished to force this circular vision, with the colour grading offering a pale perspective. The editing was often harsh and abrupt, cutting a scene and then randomly appearing halfway through a different conversation. And of course the disparity in concept detailing and character development meant that the third act lost a portion of its humanity that was built effortlessly in the first act. The performances however all felt realistic and allowed the concept to breathe through naturally. Always good to end on a positive.

The Endless is described as a horror. It's not. Even reaching out to its Lovecraftian roots would prove futile in the search for endless scares. It's pure mystery, with an original concept so grand that it unfortunately doesn't stick the landing. Yet I'd happily see more from these two, as I believe their efforts on all levels should be eternally praised.