While some films offer an expansive narrative, others choose a simple premise in an effort to explore their characters. It Ends, a movie from writer/director Alexander Ullom, picks the latter. A beautiful journey of humanity, this is a great film for those able to connect to its enchanting existential atmosphere.

A group of friends become stuck on a never-ending road, quickly finding themselves surrounded by untold horrors. The cast includes Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth and Mitchell Cole.

It Ends is a film that excels in its haunting yet comforting ambience. It cuts into the human experience and projects many themes on life, relationships and reality itself. In this vein, the young cast are incredibly natural in their roles, offering a level of believability to the story unfolding. But it is here, in the story itself, where the movie’s few flaws rear their head.

The narrative for this film is very basic. This is a strength with regard to the overall experience, in that it allows the bewitching atmosphere to take centre stage. However, the story does run thin once we reach the end credits. Thankfully, at 89 minutes long, the movie doesn’t overstay its welcome, and any dullness in the final act is short-lived.

If we switch back to the positives, Alexander Ullom clearly has an excellent control of tone. One of the most impressive parts of this feature is how it effortellesly evolves between scenes. Some sections are thrilling, others sad, a few are quite scary, and none of them feel out of place. This is the mark of a talented filmmaker.

It Ends is a “vibes first” movie that is exactly what it sets out to be. Propelled by well-written characters and an amazing atmosphere, this mesmerising experience can be highly recommended.