The marriage of the horror genre and independent filmmaking is an obvious one. Scary movies tend to draw an audience no matter who is making or starring in them. Independent films are latitude outside the studio system, able to create engaging, challenging stories. It Ends, the indie-horror debut from writer/director Alex Ullom, fleshes out into typical horror before diving headfirst into existential dread. 

 

Shot on a soundstage at Florida State University, with exteriors filmed in the Florida wilderness around Tallahassee and Gainesville, It Ends is a small film, yet it packs a big punch. 

 

It Ends is described as a "highway horror movie," which is like describing "Anora" as a comedy. The description is technically true but sidesteps all the reasons to watch it. It's about four friends trapped in their Jeep, driving down an endless road surrounded by woods. But it's also uncertainty, adulthood, maturity, and responsibility. Beneath the familiar trope of highway horror as advertised lies a more serious level. 

 

The premise is simple: four friends hop into a Jeep Grand Cherokee to enjoy one last moment of social unity before diverging toward different life paths. The driver, Tyler, is the most grounded yet disconnected from the rest. James and Fisher are closer, exchanging playful banter about impossible questions. Day is both the most sensible and hopeful of the group. She projects a motherly presentation but still fits the juvenile group calculus smartly. The ensemble works and plays off each other well. 

 

The group drives down a road endlessly with no end in sight. They have seconds to stretch and test the boundaries of the woods and the mysterious horde of humans who attack every time the vehicle stops. 

 

Each passenger hits a breaking point one by one, deciding to leave the vehicle for good. Title cards showing the mileage driven thus far annotate these moments. Quasi-science fiction takes the driver's seat in the second half, and horror takes a backseat. 

 

We have come to understand that It Ends is not interested in delivering answers to its many questions. That is the point. The Jeep serves as a vehicle for reflection. It is a cramped space where the four engaging performances consider their place in the world and the uncertainty of the future. The road is a powerful metaphor, and the genre blend of horror/sci-fi does not overshadow the anxiety of growing up and growing apart. 

 

A testament to Ullom's new voice is his unique knack for dialogue that suggests complexity instead of drowning in platitudes. It Ends is a meditation on responsible actions and personal accountability, dropped into the most peculiar situation. 

 

It Ends is not perfect, but it is a perfect start for a budding talent like Ullom. Hopefully, like the road in the film, his career has no end in sight.