Creepy thrills rely on art, not budget
Crafty and mind-bending, “The Endless” is a highly effective psychological horror thriller in which two ex-cult members return to their apocalyptic commune, only to get trapped into supernatural time loops that challenge their memories of the past.
It’s an almost impossible movie to describe; it has to be experienced. And though every frame isn’t tidily wrapped up at the end — that was never the intent — “The Endless” gets into your head and keeps you alert for whatever abnormal turn comes next.
Justin and Aaron (played by impressive filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead) are two California brothers who fled a strange UFO cult a decade before the story begins. But their life on the outside has become dreary, and with the discovery of an odd videotape, they find themselves inexplicably drawn back to the cult’s commune, where everyone seems happy and apparently hasn’t aged a day. The brothers begin to question why they ever ran away in the first place, but soon a series of bizarre events will help put that riddle to rest.
“The Endless” uses a minimum of special effects and creates tension the old-fashioned way: with solid performances, nifty camerawork, smart direction and a memorable score. It’s a tribute to stars Benson and Moorhead, who combined to direct, write, edit and shoot the film, that their micro-budget project comes off more haunting than many big-studio productions with 100 times (at least) the budget.