It Ends
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama
Directed by: Alex Ullom
Starring: Mitchell Cole, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, Phinehas Yoon
Release Date: TBD – Premiered March 8, 2025 (SXSW Film Festival)
Platform: TBD
Rating: 4/5
By Crystal Justine
“You might just find yourself walking out of the theater with a new sense of existential awareness.”
IT ENDS, which recently premiered at the SXSW 2025 Film Festival in Austin, TX, is a mesmerizing blend of coming-of-age drama, thriller, and horror. A stunning feature debut from writer-director Alex Ullom, the film showcases an impressive new cast—Akira Jackson, Phinehas Yoon, Mitchell Cole, and Noah Toth—all delivering captivating performances that oppose their inexperience. It’s clear that Ullom and his team are a group of filmmakers destined for great things, with IT ENDS standing as a striking testament to their skill, vision, and passion for film.
The premise is deceptively simple yet brimming with psychological depth as a group of four young adults finds themselves trapped on an infinite highway, where every time the car stops, a terrifying event unfolds. From the very beginning, Ullom captures the audience’s attention with a jump scare that sets the tone for the anxiety-inducing ride ahead. As the tension builds, there’s a profound sense of dread, emphasizing the chilling unknown of what may lurk beyond the highway. It’s this very sense of uncertainty that serves as one of the film’s most effective tools for unsettling the viewer.
IT ENDS is undoubtedly a slow-burn experience, after the initial anxiety-inducing first act. Going into the second and third acts the film sets the stage for deeper psychological and existential themes. While this pace may not be for everyone, it is deliberate to the overall meaning. The transition from nerve-wracking terror to a meditative, almost philosophical tone feels natural, drawing viewers into a reflective state that lingers long after the film ends. It’s this slow pacing that gives the film its unique, thoughtful identity, offering something different.
At its core, IT ENDS is a philosophical exploration, drenched in existential musings and psychological intricacies. It challenges the viewer to reflect on themes of mental health, the search for meaning, the hope for hope, and the delicate balance between the mundane and the profound aspects of everyday life. The performances by the young cast are exceptional, displaying layers of depth and subtlety that reveal their considerable potential despite their relative inexperience in feature films.
The film exudes an indie low-budget feel, the kind that’s refreshing to see in today’s fast-paced, big-budget landscape. While it may carry the aesthetic of a low-budget production, this works in its favor, allowing the film’s introspective qualities and carefully crafted atmosphere to shine through. IT ENDS feels deeply personal, almost intimate, as if every frame was carefully considered and poured over with intention. It’s this attention to detail that elevates the film, making it an immersive and rewarding viewing experience.
Ullom himself shared in an interview at SXSW how IT ENDS took several years to come to fruition, with multiple rounds of funding, reshoots, and edits. The journey is reflected in the film’s pacing and structure, and it’s clear that the team has poured their hearts into creating a piece that resonates on a deeper, more meaningful level.
Ultimately, IT ENDS is a must-watch for those who crave films that provoke thought beyond surface-level spoon feeding. It’s a horror-thriller that begins with pure anxiety and suspense, but slowly morphs into a reflective meditation on life, leaving viewers questioning their own existence long after the credits roll. This is a film that dares to dig into the emotional and philosophical core of the human experience, offering a cinematic journey that is as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally gripping.
IT ENDS will stay with you long after it’s over, and you might just find yourself walking out of the theater with a new sense of existential awareness.
