Directed by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead
Written by Justin Benson
Cast: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Callie Hernandez, Tate Ellington, Lew Temple, James Jordan, Shane Brady, Kira Powell, David Lawson Jr., Emily Montague, Peter Cilella, Vinny Curran, Glen Roberts
Soundtrack: Jimmy Lavalle (aka The Album Leaf)
Talk about coming out of nowhere.
I suppose if you’re deep into the indie film scene you might know Benson & Moorhead, but as for me (and probably most Average Joes), I was unfamiliar with them before seeing The Endless.
Honestly though, I hope they become household names sooner than later, because, based on this movie, I’d say these guys have some real talent. I won’t sit here and tell you that The Endless is perfect (frankly, sometimes I had a hard time picking out dialogue) but on a rubric of concept relative to budget, it scores very high (kind of like Chronicle, but with far less action, and better, I think).
I can’t remember the last time this happened, but it actually wasn’t the trailer that sold me on this film. It was the synopsis:
Two brothers who escaped from a UFO doomsday cult go back ten years later to find that maybe it wasn’t what they imagined it to be.
I can’t tell you much more than that in terms of the plot, as there’s so much for you to discover for yourself, but I can tell you it’s a rabbit hole worth diving into.
As far as performances go, I didn’t find anyone to be out of place, and Benson and Moorhead themselves have a fraternal chemistry, but I found Benson’s performance to be a bit one-note, perhaps because he had a lot on his shoulders as writer, director, and actor, but that’s pure speculation.
Beyond that, credit to Jimmy Lavalle for his score. It’s not flashy, per se, but it does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of building the mood.
Other than that, all I can say is that if you can find yourself a screening, definitely give it a whirl. You won’t regret it.
Rating: ★★★★☆
P.S.
Technically, it’s Not Rated, but I’d put it at about a PG-13 in terms of content. Pretty safe for general audiences.