The Endless Road: A Journey into the Human Psyche
There’s something profoundly unsettling about a road that never ends. It’s not just the physical exhaustion or the logistical nightmare—it’s the psychological toll of the unknown. Alex Ullom’s It Ends taps into this primal fear, but what makes this particularly fascinating is how it uses the endless road as a metaphor for the human condition. Personally, I think the film’s greatest strength lies in its ability to turn a seemingly simple premise into a deep exploration of resilience, despair, and the bonds that either break or strengthen under pressure.
The Liminal Space as a Character
One thing that immediately stands out is the film’s use of the liminal space—that strange, in-between place where reality feels suspended. The characters are trapped not just in a physical loop but in a psychological one, too. The Jeep Cherokee becomes their entire world, a microcosm of society where every action and reaction is amplified. What many people don’t realize is that liminal spaces have long been a staple of horror and existential storytelling, from The Twilight Zone to The Backrooms. But It Ends takes it a step further by focusing on the characters’ internal struggles rather than the external mystery.
From my perspective, the car itself becomes a character—a claustrophobic, ever-present reminder of their entrapment. The way the characters decorate it, argue in it, and eventually find solace in it is a brilliant commentary on how we adapt to our circumstances. It’s like watching a petri dish of human behavior, where every joke, every scream, and every moment of silence reveals something about who these people are.
The Horror of Monotony
What this really suggests is that the true horror isn’t the swarms of people chasing them or the impossible road—it’s the monotony. The film’s pacing mirrors the characters’ experience, and while some viewers might find it slow, I believe that’s the point. The endlessness of their situation seeps into the audience’s psyche, making us question how we’d cope. Would we give up, find new ways to distract ourselves, or keep driving in the hope of an end?
A detail that I find especially interesting is how the characters’ pasts are slowly revealed through their interactions. Tyler’s resentment, Day’s suicidal ideation, and James’s inability to let go of his former life all come to the surface as the road stretches on. It’s a reminder that we all carry baggage, and when we’re stripped of distractions, it’s impossible to ignore.
The Unanswered Questions
If you take a step back and think about it, the film’s refusal to answer certain questions—like the origin of the swarms or the nature of the liminal space—isn’t a flaw. It’s a deliberate choice to keep the focus on the characters. The swarms could be other lost souls, manifestations of their fears, or something entirely different. What matters is how the characters interpret them, and by extension, how we interpret our own fears.
This raises a deeper question: What do we do when faced with the inexplicable? Do we try to understand it, or do we accept that some things are beyond comprehension? It Ends doesn’t provide easy answers, and that’s what makes it so compelling.
The Human Need for Closure
In my opinion, the film’s most powerful commentary is on our need for closure. The characters constantly debate whether they’re in purgatory, a curse, or simply dead. Their inability to find an end mirrors our own struggles with uncertainty. We want answers, we want resolution, but life often doesn’t provide them. The road in It Ends is a metaphor for the journeys we’re all on—some of which may never reach a satisfying conclusion.
What makes this particularly fascinating is how the film challenges us to reconsider what it means to survive. Is it about finding an end, or is it about finding meaning in the journey itself? The characters’ bickering, their attempts at normalcy, and their moments of vulnerability all point to the same truth: survival is as much about the mind as it is about the body.
Final Thoughts
It Ends isn’t a perfect film. Its limited scope and slow pace might test some viewers’ patience, and its horror elements feel secondary to its character study. But that’s exactly what makes it memorable. It’s not about the destination—it’s about the drive.
Personally, I think the film’s greatest achievement is how it forces us to confront our own fears of the unknown. It’s a thought experiment wrapped in a horror film, a meditation on resilience disguised as a road trip. And while it may not provide all the answers, it leaves us with something far more valuable: questions worth pondering long after the credits roll.
If you’re looking for a film that challenges you to think, feel, and reflect, It Ends is worth the journey. Just don’t expect it to take you where you think you’re going. After all, the road never ends—and maybe that’s the point.
