Fresh off its SXSW debut, road trip horror It Ends has landed an excellent Rotten Tomatoes score.
Written and directed by Alexander Ullom, the film earned positive reviews, with critics praising the tonal twists and the central performances. It currently holds a 100% rating out of 12 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, though the score could change as more critics share their thoughts.
Stars Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, Mitchell Cole feature as the protagonist quartet — four friends going for one last adventure after college. Trapped inside a Jeep Cherokee, they realise they're driving through an existentialist hellscape on a never-ending road.
Here's what those who've watched It Ends at SXSW made of the movie.
The Playlist
It's a simple yet effectively haunting work that's well-shot, written, and acted across the board, especially for a first feature that takes on as much as this does.
Related: UK film release dates
What to Read Next
Bloody Disgusting
Writer/Director Alexander Ullom nestles an existential crisis within his genre-bending road trip thriller in his feature debut. What begins as an intense horror movie settles into a meditative rhythm for an inventive slice-of-life metaphor.
FandomWire
It Ends has the potential to be an indie horror breakout on the level of something like Talk to Me. It's creative, smart, and — most importantly — genuinely scary and fun.
Next Best Picture
It Ends is not only a thrilling film but also an inspired inspection into the fears and existential dread that plague Gen-Z, all of which is bolstered by Alexander Ullom's fantastic screenplay and an amazing quartet of performances.
Related: Best streaming services
Variety
Gradually reveal something tonally surprising, dramatically complex and immensely promising for all the young talent involved.
IndieWire
There's an intriguing nihilistic streak to the whole affair, but what comes before isn't funny or insightful enough to warrant what is ultimately served up. It's just sort of a joke on you for caring. And maybe that's what the youth are all about.
The Hollywood Reporter
Here, the threat is so outlandish that it's not easy to wrap your head around it, which is why Ullom deserves credit for delivering such a dubious high concept with plenty of directorial craft.
It Ends doesn't have a wider release date yet.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
