Perpetual Motion and Post-Grad Malaise: An In-Depth Look at Alexander Ullom’s ‘It Ends’
The landscape of contemporary horror is increasingly defined by its ability to turn the mundane into the metaphysical. From the liminal spaces of "The Backrooms" to the suburban dread of It Follows, filmmakers are finding new ways to exploit the anxieties of a generation that feels perpetually "stuck." Alexander Ullom’s debut feature, It Ends, which made its world premiere at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival, attempts to plant its flag in this fertile ground. Acquired for distribution by Neon—a studio known for its curation of avant-garde and elevated genre fare—the film presents a high-concept existential nightmare that is as technically proficient as it is narratively polarizing.
Main Facts: The Concept and the Release
It Ends is a psychological horror-thriller that centers on a simple, terrifying premise: a group of four friends finds themselves trapped on a stretch of road that never ends. The film stars Mitchell Cole, Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, and Noah Toth as four twenty-somethings grappling with the transition into adulthood, only to find that transition literally suspended in a geographical loop.
Following its debut in Austin, Texas, on March 7, 2025, the film has been positioned as one of the summer’s most talked-about indie releases. Neon, the powerhouse behind Parasite and Longlegs, has scheduled a wide theatrical release for Friday, August 21, 2025. Despite its "B-" critical reception from early reviewers, the film’s "Gen Z No Exit" hook has generated significant social media buzz, particularly regarding its divisive ending and its minimalist use of a single location—a white Jeep.
Chronology: From Road Trip to Ritualistic Dread
The narrative trajectory of It Ends begins with a deceptive sense of normalcy. Director Alexander Ullom opens the film from a perspective that suggests the vehicle itself—a white Jeep SUV—is a sentient observer. We meet the four protagonists as they embark on what should be a routine journey:
- The Departure: The group is led by Tyler (Mitchell Cole), a stoic veteran with a thick Southern drawl. He is joined by James (Phinehas Yoon), a cynical man dreading his entry into the corporate workforce; Day (Akira Jackson), an uncertain graphic design student; and Fisher (Noah Toth), the group’s lighthearted comic relief.
- The Deviation: As the sun sets and the tree-lined road becomes an endless corridor of shadows, the group realizes their GPS is malfunctioning. Despite driving for hours at highway speeds, they never reach their destination, and the road ahead remains an identical two-lane stretch of asphalt.
- The Realization: Panic sets in as the characters test the boundaries of their reality. They discover a set of supernatural "rules": as long as the car is in motion, they do not feel hunger, thirst, or exhaustion. However, the moment they stop, the darkness beyond the headlights begins to manifest threats that are never fully explained but are deeply felt.
- The Stagnation: The middle act of the film shifts from a survival thriller to a character study. The surface-level banter of high school friends dissolves into existential confessions. They are forced to confront the "post-grad malaise" that haunted them before the trip, realizing that their physical predicament is a mirror of their internal fears about the future.
- The Conclusion: The film culminates in a controversial "gotcha" ending that shifts the tone from existential dread to a nihilistic punchline, leaving the audience to question the sincerity of the entire journey.
Supporting Data: Technical Execution and Thematic Weight
Ullom’s filmmaking is most effective when he utilizes the physical constraints of the Jeep to build tension. The car is not just a setting; it is a pressurized cabin where the psychological state of the characters is reflected in the vehicle’s mechanics.
The Aesthetics of the "Glow"
The film leans heavily into the "liminal space" aesthetic. Ullom utilizes the internal features of the Jeep—the rhythmic, orange pulse of hazard lights, the cold blue glow of the dashboard, and the incessant, grating beep of a door left ajar—to create a sensory experience that is both claustrophobic and hypnotic. Critics have compared the visual language of the film to I Saw the TV Glow, noting how Ullom uses unnatural lighting to signal a break from reality.
The Rules of the Road
The "supporting data" of the film’s internal logic is intentionally murky. The characters’ phones never lose battery, and they maintain internet service, yet they cannot contact the outside world for help. This choice serves to heighten the feeling of being in a simulation. The film suggests that the characters are in a "Gen Z No Exit," a reference to Jean-Paul Sartre’s play where "hell is other people." However, where Sartre used a drawing room, Ullom uses a modern SUV, suggesting that for the current generation, hell is a perpetual commute to a destination that doesn’t exist.
Performance Breakdown
- Phinehas Yoon (James): Delivers the film’s most grounded performance. As the resident cynic, he becomes the audience surrogate, desperately trying to "solve" the road through logic before eventually succumbing to the absurdity of the situation.
- Mitchell Cole (Tyler): Provides a sense of rigid authority that slowly crumbles. His military background is used as a foil to the supernatural elements that he cannot shoot or outmaneuver.
- Akira Jackson (Day): Represents the emotional core of the film, articulating the specific fear of a "blank future" that resonates with many recent graduates.
Official Responses and Studio Positioning
Neon’s acquisition of It Ends suggests a confidence in the film’s ability to spark discourse. In the wake of its SXSW premiere, the studio has leaned into the film’s enigmatic nature. While official press releases from the production team emphasize the film’s "innovative approach to the bottle-movie format," the critical response has been more measured.
The "B-" grade reflects a consensus that while Alexander Ullom is a "crafty" director with a bright future, the script for It Ends may have been too focused on its gimmick. Early reviews suggest that the film’s refusal to provide a traditional "payoff" is its most polarizing feature. Some critics argue that the ending is a brilliant subversion of audience expectations—a "nihilistic streak" that perfectly captures the zeitgeist—while others feel it is a "fuck you" to the viewers who invested time in the characters’ survival.
Despite the mixed critical reception, the "viral potential" of the film’s premise is high. Neon’s marketing strategy appears to be targeting the "A24/Neon" demographic—younger viewers who appreciate high-concept horror that prioritizes atmosphere and "vibes" over jump scares.
Implications: What ‘It Ends’ Says About a Generation
The primary implication of It Ends lies in its metaphor for the modern transition to adulthood. The road that never ends is a potent symbol for the "treadmill" of modern life—the feeling of working, moving, and consuming without ever reaching a state of stability or "arrival."
The Nihilism of the "Gotcha"
The film’s ending, described by some as a "joke on the viewer," has broader implications for the current state of storytelling. We are seeing a trend in indie horror where the "meaning" is the lack of meaning. By refusing to give the characters a traditional arc or a heroic escape, Ullom suggests that the "post-grad malaise" isn’t something you escape; it’s something you simply endure until the "joke" is over.
The Evolution of the "Bottle Movie"
It Ends also represents an evolution in low-budget filmmaking. By containing the majority of the action within a single vehicle, Ullom demonstrates how digital cinematography and sound design can compensate for a lack of locations. The film serves as a blueprint for debut directors: find a single, relatable anxiety (like a long night drive) and stretch it to its breaking point.
Final Verdict
While It Ends may ultimately prove to be "ultimately disappointing" for those seeking a traditional horror narrative with a satisfying resolution, its technical prowess and thematic relevance cannot be ignored. It is a film that captures the specific, low-frequency hum of 21st-century anxiety. Whether it is a masterpiece of existentialism or a clever gimmick remains a point of debate, but as it prepares for its August 21 release, one thing is certain: people will be talking about the ending of It Ends long after they leave the theater.
Grade: B-
Review originally published following the SXSW 2025 Film & TV Festival. Neon will release the film in theaters on Friday, August 21, 2025.
