THE ENDLESS
US, 2017, 111 minutes, Colour.
Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Tate Ellington, Callie Hernandez.
Directed by Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead.
The Endless is a small-budget horror/terror film. It has received favourable reviews – a horror film that is different.
The film is the work of two friends, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead who have worked together on other films, starring in this film as well as cowriting and co-directing.
At first, the narrative seems to be fairly straightforward. We are introduced to Justin and Aaron (using their actual names) who play brothers. The older brother, Justin, is protective of his younger brother. They work together. But, it emerges that they spent some years in a commune, described as a cult, 10 years. But Justin has left, spoken to the media, denouncing the cult. However, Karen who is younger and enjoyed his life at the cult tries to persuade his brother to return, at least for a day, to see the place again, to meet the people again. On the way, they pass the place where their mother was killed in a car accident and they were rescued.
Audiences may react immediately to the idea of a cult, condemn in-group attitudes to a community which isolates itself from society, has a group-think attitude towards life, with a leader who exercises too much power and influence.
When the audience accompanies the two brothers to the cult, it does not seem quite as bad as the isolationist religious cults that proliferate in the United States. The members seem more normal than other cult members although there is a leader, who explains that he is not really a leader, Hal. There are some members that the brothers have known in the past, especially a woman who looks younger than she actually is – as does Hal. While the group wants isolation, drinking is permitted, they meet in a bar and play cards, but there is little sexual activity it would seem.
While visiting again, Justin goes jogging and encounters some unusual characters as he runs. There is also a mysterious woman who doesn’t join the group so much but is seen weeping.
With this kind of alerting, the screenplay moves into the more mysterious, seeming repetitions of events, people being in two places at once (one living but also seen hanging).
Justin wants to escape back to ordinary life, Aaron is reluctant but eventually agrees.
For audiences who do not know much about the plot, a reviewer should stop here and simply indicate that there is quite a meaning in the title, endless indicating that people might be trapped – although it might have been more realistic to have cycle or cycles in the title. But, obviously, there is much more to it than that…
1. The title, the mystery?
2. The use of horror conventions? The atmosphere, mystery, delving into the mystery, caught in the mystery?
3. The focus on Aaron and Justin? Identifying with them? Sharing their experiences?
4. The city, the workplace, the two men living together? Their work? The contrast with the countryside, the cult site, the interiors, the cabins, the hall? The surrounding country, the huts, the mountains, the paths? A piece of middle Americana? The musical score?
5. The two boys, memories, their mother, the car, the crash, her death, their being orphans, rescued and living in the cult for 10 years?
6. The cult? Religious/secular? The nature of cults, leadership, like-mindedness, isolation, shared experiences? Control?
7. Aaron and his wanting to return, longing for the life at the cult? The contrast with Justin, older, his conceding visiting again for Aaron’s sake? Stopping at the site of the accident and the memento?
8. The personnel at the cult, Hal, his leadership, welcoming? Anna, her role? Her age and the contrast with Aaron, the attraction? The range of people in the group, their age and experience, the man with his magic, the man with his grin and the boring into his brain? Lizzie and her motivations for being there? The background of the other members? Forming a community, the isolation, sharing? Aaron happy? Justin not?
9. Sharing the day, with the group, Aaron and Anna, the bond, talking, the background of the believing in castration? Anne and Aaron and the meaning of lying together? Justin and his going for runs, his encounters, the huts and the surroundings?
10. The encounter with the sad wife, not with the group, searching for her husband?
11. Hal, personal, his hold over people, his age, saying that there was no leader yet his leadership? His speeches?
12. Life, relaxation, drinking, the clubs, cards…?
13. Justin and his seeing the hut, the strange character, guns, his anger, seeing his double hanging in the shed, his appearance and disappearance? Introducing the theme of the endless cycles?
14. The second hut, the alcoholic inside, his story, Justin talking with him, the woman’s husband, helping out, the bond between the two? The setting of the fire? Consumed and not consumed?
15. The request to get the gun, Justin going to the hut of the hanged man? Getting the gun? Going back for Aaron, the escape, going through the countryside, lost?
16. Getting the car, driving away?
17. The three moons, the explanation, the nature of time, the recurring cycles and everybody trapped in their cycle?
18. The strange premises for this kind of cult film, touches of horror?
