The Endless, a 2017 film from directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, is one such film.
I. What Is It?
This is the story of Justin (Benson) and Aaron (Moorhead), two brothers who escaped a cult when they were younger. It's been ten years, and their lives haven't gone anywhere. In a bid to reach some form of closure, and after receiving a mysterious tape from one of the cult members, the brothers decide to return. One day. One evening. It quickly gets more complicated than that.*** This is a movie whose story goes to some very interesting places. In honor of trying to keep those twists and turns thrilling for anyone who watches this film, I will endeavor to stay away from spoilers from here on out***
II. Auteurs
Moorhead and Benson are excellent film-makers. But they are more than just directors. For one thing, they star in their own movie, and they do a pretty good job. Their chemistry is immediate and endearing. They feel like brothers.
For another thing, Benson wrote the script. It is bursting at the seams with big ideas about brotherhood, trauma, memory, and acceptance.
For another, Moorhead was the acting cinematographer on this movie. The camerawork is stunning and clever. Particularly in the way that the images feel washed out and flat until we get to Camp Arcadia, where the colors feel more vibrant and the shots open up and feel less claustrophobic.
And for another thing, Moorhead and Benson, along with Michael Felker, worked as editors on this thing. The plot moves along quickly, letting moments play out and feel lived in without wasting time. The film clocks in at 111 minutes, shy of two hours, and, given the amount of things on display here, that is a feat.
Benson and Moorhead are wearing many hats behind the scenes, and the film doesn't feel slap-dash or amateurish. It feels like a singular vision. And it demands that I go and find their other works, which is pretty impressive.
One last thing I thought was pretty impressive was how funny the movie is. Yes, it deals with Lovecraftian ideas of madness, and deep-rooted trauma, but there are some legit guffaw moments sprinkled in there. The brothers' banter and bickering feels real and made me chuckle.
- This is a well-made film that defies its relatively small budget.For another thing, Benson wrote the script. It is bursting at the seams with big ideas about brotherhood, trauma, memory, and acceptance.
For another, Moorhead was the acting cinematographer on this movie. The camerawork is stunning and clever. Particularly in the way that the images feel washed out and flat until we get to Camp Arcadia, where the colors feel more vibrant and the shots open up and feel less claustrophobic.
And for another thing, Moorhead and Benson, along with Michael Felker, worked as editors on this thing. The plot moves along quickly, letting moments play out and feel lived in without wasting time. The film clocks in at 111 minutes, shy of two hours, and, given the amount of things on display here, that is a feat.
Benson and Moorhead are wearing many hats behind the scenes, and the film doesn't feel slap-dash or amateurish. It feels like a singular vision. And it demands that I go and find their other works, which is pretty impressive.
One last thing I thought was pretty impressive was how funny the movie is. Yes, it deals with Lovecraftian ideas of madness, and deep-rooted trauma, but there are some legit guffaw moments sprinkled in there. The brothers' banter and bickering feels real and made me chuckle.
III. Chockablock With Ideas
This one is a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, Moorhead and Benson are eager to discuss a lot of heady things. The brothers are split on whether or not their lives were better off in the cult than out of it. And the movie goes to some interesting places when the two start discussing whether or not they should stay once they have returned. I love the exploration of what it means to have a "good life." Because it is so subjective, the film has some fun with indicting the brothers' exit, and even the negative connotations of the word "cult."
The movie begins with a quote from an unknown source: "Friends tell each other how they feel with relative frequency. Siblings wait for a more convenient time, like their deathbeds." The way (no spoilers here) the film explores that idea is a lot of fun. These two brothers are all they have, perhaps all they have ever had. And they are still dishonest with each other throughout the movie. Until they aren't. And it is a great moment.
But. Sometimes the film veers wildly into new directions at the expense of the root of its core story. In a bid to expand the themes and ideas into eldritch horror, we lose some of the definition of these two brothers and the world around them. In folding in new genre trappings and exciting turns, the film comes very close to derailing itself.
It doesn't. But shit gets wobbly for a stretch, there.
There are so many more things I wanted to see developed and explored. I guess it's better to leave a viewer wanting, though.
Ultimately, I think it is a sign of great skill that Benson and Moorhead get as close as humanly possible to biting off more than they can chew, and powering through it with gusto.
The movie begins with a quote from an unknown source: "Friends tell each other how they feel with relative frequency. Siblings wait for a more convenient time, like their deathbeds." The way (no spoilers here) the film explores that idea is a lot of fun. These two brothers are all they have, perhaps all they have ever had. And they are still dishonest with each other throughout the movie. Until they aren't. And it is a great moment.
But. Sometimes the film veers wildly into new directions at the expense of the root of its core story. In a bid to expand the themes and ideas into eldritch horror, we lose some of the definition of these two brothers and the world around them. In folding in new genre trappings and exciting turns, the film comes very close to derailing itself.
It doesn't. But shit gets wobbly for a stretch, there.
There are so many more things I wanted to see developed and explored. I guess it's better to leave a viewer wanting, though.
Ultimately, I think it is a sign of great skill that Benson and Moorhead get as close as humanly possible to biting off more than they can chew, and powering through it with gusto.
IV. Interpret-able
I love movies that make me think. I love it when I can't shake a film hours and days after I've watched it. The Endless has stayed with me. Interpretations of its finale, and its lore, and its hints and clues have been swirling around the back of my head since the final credits rolled a day ago. Again, I don't want to spoil this movie, but I will say that there is a lot to digest. And I have already fallen down a few Reddit holes reading theories and explanationsWhy You Should See It
- Benson and Moorhead are filmmakers to look out for. They have big ideas and the technical flare to pull them off. I eagerly await their next feature.
- You'll have a great time thinking about and discussing this movie with the people you watch it with.
Why You Shouldn't See It
In Conclusion
Miscellany
- This movie exists in something of a shared cinematic universe with Benson and Moorhead's first film, Resolution (2012).- Premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017.
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