‘It Ends’ Review: A Captivating Journey Through Post-College Anxiety

A unique anxiety often settles in after college graduation, as friends disperse and the future transforms from a plan into an unsettling void. Alexander Ullom’s debut feature ‘It Ends’ encapsulates this feeling, trapping it inside a Jeep Cherokee on an endless highway. Four recent graduates embark on a late-night food run, only to find themselves endlessly circling a road that seems to have no end. What unfolds is less of a conventional horror film and more of a gradual revelation of the characters’ true selves when escape becomes impossible.

Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, and Mitchell Cole drive the film forward through their engaging interactions, which are crucial since the camera has nowhere else to go. Shot primarily from within the vehicle by cinematographers Evan Draper and Jazleana Jones, the film employs tight, claustrophobic framing that transforms every glance and silence into something significant. Ullom’s hands-on approach, including editing his own script, is evident in the film’s confident pacing, balancing dread with humor.

What stands out is the film’s willingness to take its time with the premise. Instead of rushing toward jump scares or a neat explanation for the endless road, ‘It Ends’ allows its characters to bicker, joke, and gradually succumb to the pressure of infinite time together. The horror seeps in through this slow erosion rather than through sudden shocks. It resembles a hangout film that slowly realizes it’s trapped in a nightmare, a challenging tonal balance for a project of this scale.

However, the film does require a level of patience that some viewers may find challenging. Its midsection delves deeply into the characters’ philosophical discussions, and there were moments when I wished for a tighter narrative instead of another round of circular dialogue. Some supporting characters who drift into the story feel less developed than the core four, appearing more as symbolic elements of the group’s unraveling than fully realized individuals.

Despite these moments, the emotional core remains strong. The film captures the true horror of your twenties—not a monster on the road, but the unsettling realization that you might already be stuck in a place you’ll never escape. This theme lingers long after the credits roll, enhanced by Matthew Robert Cooper’s score, which subtly maintains an atmosphere of unease even during quieter scenes.

For a film created on what Ullom describes as a shoestring budget, the craftsmanship is impressively assured. During an appearance on The Moveable Fest, Ullom discussed the unconventional path that led to the film’s creation. This resourcefulness is never perceived as a limitation; rather, the confinement of the Jeep becomes a strength.

After watching ‘It Ends’, I found myself reflecting less on specific scares and more on the poignant ache it conveys—the realization that adulthood is not a finish line but another road without a clear destination. It’s a confident, melancholic, and occasionally humorous debut that prioritizes atmosphere and character over spectacle, even if its pacing wanders at times. My final verdict is 8.5 out of 10, marking a striking debut for a filmmaker who clearly has more to offer.

Did the endless highway of ‘It Ends’ resonate with you as it did with me, or did you find yourself eager to escape that Jeep? Share your thoughts in the comments.