In a year when the film industry once again wrestles with another summer where the majority of cinematic blockbusters and franchises, except for a handful like Toy Story and Spider-Man, are underperforming, it is the surge of first-time filmmakers who will most likely be the defining stories at the end of the year. Breakout filmmakers such as Curry Barker (Obsession), Aleshea Harris (Is God Is), Ian Tuason (Undertone) and Kane Parsons (Backrooms) have shown that audiences, now more than ever, are craving original and intriguing works that care more about craft than big budget flash.
After observing the thrilling head spinner that is It Ends, Alexander Ullom’s name need to be chiselled onto this illustrious list. Taking a rather simple premise and turning it into unnerving ride film creates maximum chills and tension via a minimalist approach.
Stepping into the working world and still trying to figure out the direction their lives will take, four college grads embark on a late-night drive. Chatting about a wide range of topics including job opportunities, relationships woes, and debating hypothetical combat team-ups involving man and beasts; it is clear that Tyler (Mitchell Cole), Day (Akira Jackson), Fisher (Noah Toth), and James (Phinehas Yoon) share a tight bond. In fact, it is a testament to Ullom’s filmmaking that the audience feels as if they know these friends intimately despite only being in the Jeep Cherokee with them for a limited time before things go south.
Dutifully following their GPS system, the group finds themselves on a road where they are expecting the next righthand turn will take them to highway. However, the turn never comes. Despite its windy curves at times the road strangely has not turns at all. Things take a darker turn when, after stopping to catch their barring, a horde of people screaming for help emerge from the woods, lining both sides of the road, attempting to get into the vehicle.
Freaked out by the scary experience, which resulted in Fisher’s arm being scratched up by the clawing hands of the unknown intruders, the foursome find themselves in a nightmare they cannot seem to wake up from. Discovering that they can stop the car for a minute and 30 seconds, before the people laying dormant in the woods wake up from their strange slumber, the pressure to find a way out increases with each passing minute. As hours turn into days, Tyler, Day, Fisher and James begin to test the limits of their environment while contemplating the own nature of existence.
While the overly analytical James openly ponders whether they are stuck in some sort of purgatory, or possibly stumbled into a wormhole, Ullom’s film raises questions that are left for the viewer to answer.
Immediately pulling the audience to the edge of their seat and refusing to let go, It Ends is a thrilling and wildly original work that worms its way into one’s mind. Swiftly building up the tension by utilizing extreme closeups of the characters’ faces, Ullom ensures that the audience feels the claustrophobia and paranoia of being confined to the car. It helps that the director gets wonderful performances from his young and talented ensemble cast.
Saddled with carrying the story and emotions on their backs, as they are the only individuals the viewers see for a good portion of the film, the performers effectively steer the film down its strange and alluring road.
Although an enticing piece of cinema, the tight ball of tension does begin to unravel a bit in the latter sections. In focusing more on the bonds of friendship, and how they help to navigate stressful situations, than the shifting climate of the predicament they find themselves in, It Ends spins its wheels a bit too much at times. Couple this with the increased use of dark humor and random stylistic choices, and the loose narrative strands that often come with a debut film begin to appear.
Pulling on the incomplete threads never threatens to fully destroy the stitching in Ullom’s film. Although audiences won’t get all the answers they seek, it is hard to deny that one is witnessing the work of a gifted filmmaker who has an exciting future ahead of them. Brilliantly making the most of a simple premise and minimal locations, It Ends is a confident debut that takes viewers down a chilling and unforgettable road.
