The Endless - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

The Endless

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

​

Movie

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead have been working together so long that they might as well be considered brothers. The duo has been making micro budget horror films for the better part of a decade, with films like Spring and the much acclaimed Resolution (which I still need to get on Blu-ray I might add). This time the duo has been going from a “locked in a cabin in the woods” style of horror, to a completely different type of conspiracy terror. This time dealing with the wonderfully creepy concept of an end of the world UFO death cult. You know, the kind that talk about their lord and savior Cthulu, and wait for him to come down in his spaceship and take everyone away in an “ascension” ceremony (usually involving cyanide and grape Kool-ade as the way to exit this mortal plane and move on to the next). The film is a slow moving film, but one that methodically moves towards a single goal, building tension layer by layer along the way till the final twist at the end (there’s always a twist).

The basis of the movie is actually really straight forward, but I will have to digress and really dance around things here, because if I say too much, then I very well could ruin the entire movie for you. It’s literally one of those films where you have to watch it and let the story unfold rather than have me tell it to you. Experience it rather than have it described, so to speak. As is, the basic premise is pretty simple. Brother’s Aaron (Aaron Moorhead) and younger brother Justin (Justin Benson) escaped from a death cult 10 years ago and are living in the “outside” world as janitors. Aaron thinks of their job as honest work, but Justin is disillusioned with the bare existence they eek out and has secret desires to go back to the cult where they were well taken care of. When Justin finds a video tape from the camp (supposedly sent to them by a member), he blows their last $20 on a video cassette player and the two brothers watch what is on it, only to find out that the cult members are STILL alive (and didn’t “ascend” some 10 years ago), leading the two to go back and check it out once more.

Once they get to the camp they run into all their old friends, only to see that none of them look like they have aged a day. The camp is still a well oiled machine, with the commune members growing their own food, making their own clothes, and seemingly happy as a clam. Justin is immediately drawn to the comfort and safety of his old home, while Aaron instinctively remembers the darker side of the cult, and the hints and allegations of a suicide pact made 10 years ago. However, as the day unfolds the two start to see hints and cracks in the normalacy of the place, with weird images and weird interactions with people showing them that there is something dark at work. Something lurking just out of view, manipulating things and creating a sense of unease that builds and builds as time goes on.

I can’t say any more, but needless to say that Benson and Moorhead (who also star, direct, write, and film the movie) have created a layered movie that derives itself from a boolean narrative that is steeped in mystery and infinite loops (hint hint). It’s fascinating watch that takes about 30-40 minutes to really get going with the actual mystery, but once they do Moorhead and Benson begin diving into complex theories about H.P. Lovecraft style monsters, science fiction level time loops, and dark secrets that I really can’t get into without giving it all away. Needless to say, The Endless is an incredibly complex, yet very simple, movie that doesn’t spoon feed the audience every single plot detail.

This lack of spoon feeding is both the biggest benefit to the film, as well as its biggest detractors. The Endless is so incredibly rich and in depth that I was fascinated by the slow revealing nature of the narrative until the very end. The two co-writers/producers/directors have made it so the film can be interpreted in so many different ways, but also given us just enough information to figure out most things ourselves. Still, there are times when I feel they left it a bit TOO vague, and this makes it hard for the film to realize all of the little infinite loops and messages that it’s trying to get across. The sole reason why I rated this 4/5 instead of a 4.5/5 film. While it may not be the single most revolutionary film of its time, The Endless is an amazing watch and one that is highly rewarding if you stick with it to the end.




Rating:

Not Rated by the MPAA




Video:

Once again I’m unable to find any SOLID information on the cameras used or the resolution of the master (most likely 2K since the movie was shot with a very low budget), but I was able to talk with a few industry insiders who believe that it was shot with RED cameras of some sort. That being said, Moorhead and Benson have crafted an unusual looking film, with different color gradings, shades, hues, detail levels and lens focus techniques (I’m assuming intentionally so). The film generally has a rather desaturated look to it, with lots of ash gray, dusty earth tones, and a light hint of yellow and green. There are splashes of primary colors here and there, with the campfire, a splash of dark red blood on a bright red dirt bike, or the deep blue of a sky. I won’t give anything away, but the different grading styles seem to shift with the mood and tonal matter of the film (can’t say anymore as saying almost ANYTHING about this film may ruin it). Black levels are generally good, but they do get a bit washed out due to the heavily desaturated look of the film, and there’s some mild banding here and there (it’s a Well Go USA title, it’s to be expected).






Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is nothing too wild, but it is a solid entry from Well Go USA and fits the nature of the film to a T. The Endless is not a rip roaring action track, or one with tons of special effects, so the sound track is decidedly minima. There’s a distinct front heavy nature to the film, with dialog as the mainstay of the movie, but there are moments where flurries of activity come up out of nowhere. Flocks of birds fluttering, a person diving into the lake, a gunshot ringing out. They all add some excitement to the calm track, and blend in seamlessly with the small ambient background noises to the camp. There’s not a whole lot of LFE to write about, but there’s a bit with some of the more ominous overtones of the score as well as the car noises and a flicker here and there. The Endless isn’t a wild and throbbingly energetic track, but it is a very capable track that follows the simple sound design of the film with ease and precision.








Extras:

• Audio Commentary with the two directors and the producer of the film
• Making of - featurette
• Behind the scene - featurette
• Deleted scenes
• VFX Breakdown
• "Ridiculous Extras" - Featurette
• Trailers
• Extended bonus features

Final Score: ​

The Endless is a film that I’ve been wanting to see for a long time, and I was ecstatic when I heard Well Go USA was finally releasing it. It’s become almost a cult item itself over the last year, with horror/sci-fi fans talking about it like it’s the best thing since hot dogs covered in corn bread. The film is really well done for a movie that was made for less than $100,000, and even though there are some issues with the movie’s boolean nature, it is an effective Lovecraftian style horror movie that brings the dread through the use of good camerwork. Good characters. And a memorable score. While it may not be a film for EVERYONE, The Endless is a fascinating watch that really shows the talent of the Moorhead and Benson. Recommended.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Callie Hernandez, Emily Montague, James Jordan, Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Directed by: Justin Benson
Written by: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DD 2.0
Subtitles: English SDH
Studio: Paramount
Rated: NR
Runtime: 111 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: June 26th, 2018

Image

• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Recommended

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. Never heard of this one. Will look out for it.

 

[Asere]

Thanks for the review. I never heard of it either but will definitely check it out.

 

[Michael Scott]

Thanks for the review. I never heard of it either but will definitely check it out.

I have a sneaking suspicion you're going to like this one if you like H.P. Lovecraft style of "mysterious monsters manipulating things" .... I'd go for it

 

[Asere]

I had to watch this movie twice because the first time around watching it late and after downing a few beers my eyes started fighting me. Having said that I really enjoyed the movie. It made the movie Resolution make more sense. Wish I could say more without spoiling it but this movie will make you think and leave you with many questions. Questions that you can easily find the answers to if you pay attention closely and by watching it more then once. Your review Michael is spot on!

 

[Asere]

Are you going to review A Quiet Place?

 

[Michael Scott]

The 4K UHD is on the agenda for this week