The Endless

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.

After viewing a large number of horror/sci-fi movies, the plots tend to bleed into each other. Everything seems to be derivative and formulaic. This is not that kind of movie. It is very original and kept my attention the entire running. It is sooo refreshing to see new ideas in my beloved genre. That being said, not all your questions will be answered. It will be a bit confusing at time, but I will gladly forgive those minor flaws for originality, great acting, and a well done movie. I highly recommend this movie to those seeking something different that is well done and very engaging. I've been a big fan of the director's other works such as VHS: Viral, Dementia and Spring. Give them a look if you get a chance. I might just have to see this again with my horror friends. It's a great movie.

I have not seen the Spring movie yet (I bought it because it got recommended to me by a lot of people), but I have seen the previous stand alone future movie they did - Resolution. And let's say it did prepare me for this. Because while this looks like one thing and kind of is, there are layers upon layers to this. Usually when directors act in their own stuff, in low budget movies especially, nothing much comes out of that.

This is an exception if you want to call it that. Then again, you will only be able to enjoy this movie if you have some patience and if you are willing to get with the flow of the movie and the pace it sets. Also its weirdness ... a lot of weirdness going on. Many questions, not so many answers. Can you dig that? If so, this is really exceptional

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

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