Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson once again demonstrate their skill at weaving smarts with intimate storytelling
Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson open The Endless with a quote from horror author H.P. Lovecraft, whose writings on myth and the occult are now legend, and have trickled down through the work of scores of writers and filmmakers. This latest venture from the pair certainly conveys a similar tone, so expertly delivered in Spring, but there is a more here – a flexing of creativity and genre boundaries to create something expansive, but incredibly intimate.
The creative duo play brothers Justin and Aaron, who over a decade earlier escaped from a cult, one that took them in after losing their parents in a car accident. We find them eking out an existence in LA, cleaning houses, surviving on ramen, and continuing their rehabilitation. To make matters worse, there is a simmering sense of resentment and regret within Aaron at being taken from the security and comfort of what his older brother describes as a “UFO death cult.” One day they receive an odd videotape from the commune, indicating that the “Ascension” they were all waiting for has happened, confirming Justin’s belief that they got out before the cult hit their end. Desperate to return and sort thought lingering doubts about leaving the cult behind, Aaron convinces Justin to return to the remote settlement, situated in the Californian desert, where they find the settlement to be exactly as they left it, jarringly so. The pair settle back in, reconnecting with this community they left behind. As they re-immerse themselves in the place, long forgotten mysteries resurface, as does the animosity between the brothers, compounded by the mystery over the tape they received, one that featured a resident named Anna (Callie Hernandez), who has no idea what they’re talking about.
The Endless is one of those films you should experience with as little fore-knowledge as possible. The first half of the film introduces these brothers, their conflict, and their return to this ‘cult’, one that despite Justin’s assertions seems rather innocuous, albeit with a slightly kooky vibe. But in the background, they’re building up to something more ingenious. The result is a delightful puzzle box of a film. You could spend days analyzing and breaking down the ramifications of the lore and situation they craft. There’s a cult with a connection to some kind of higher power that communicates with them via videotapes or Polaroids that appear from the sky, with later parts of the film that feel like a melding of Groundhog Day and LOST. All the while they are delving into this fractured relationship between two brothers. In essence, it’s a genre-bending plot wrapped around an indie drama.
Justin is a straight talking pragmatist; Aaron is sensitive and more of a dreamer, younger when he left the cult – or, to be more accurate, was dragged out of it by his elder brother. That act is what plants the seed for their conflict and the film’s overarching themes of control and self-destiny. The issues tackled stem from Justin making the decision to leave the cult on Aaron’s behalf, a controlling aspect of his character that pits him against his brother, then after their return with cult ‘spokesperson’ Hal (Tate Ellington), and ultimately a supernatural entity using time and people as a means of entertainment and sustenance. Supernatural craziness aside, The Endless boils down to the question of whether you are willing to accept your fate or try and make your own, even if it means sacrificing happiness to do so.
The film casts its writer-director duo in the two lead roles. While explained as a cost saving measure during the Q&A, it actually feels like a smart move with the authentic rapport between the pair effectively translating to the screen. There’s a natural ease, and tension, between them, while individually they craft nuanced and effective performances. While The Endless shows Moorhead and Benson pushing themselves in front of the camera, the same is to be said for their efforts behind it. Their technical prowess shows refinement, and clear progression in ambition and execution when it comes to shots, editing, and cinematography. Some of this is marginally undercut by some washed out visuals that sadly drain the film of vibrancy, and mostly successful efforts to reframe a largely brown palette as something unworldly. This feel is aided by a score by Jimmy Lavalle and impressive sound design, connected not only to the changing situations these brothers find themselves in, but their moods too. Fans of the duo’s previous work Resolution will derive great joy from one scene that not only demonstrates their deft hand, but also a growing confidence in their own work.
With The Endless, Moorhead and Benson once again demonstrate their skill at weaving smarts with intimate storytelling. It’s a film that manages to draw on aspects of horror, scifi, and drama, and coalesces them into something very distinct. A showcase for their ability, growth, and innovation – visually, technically, and thematically – confirming that their future possibilities for this pair are…endless.