Having watched The Endless film nothing could have surprised me more than finding out there is a prequel movie called Resolution. Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are two very talented filmmakers and you need to watch all of their movies as soon as possible.
Is the Endless a Sequel to Resolution?
In a word yes, however, they are also independent of each other.
Resolution movie (2012) is the first film in the trilogy from Benson and Moorhead.
The third film in the series is produced by Rustic Films and is called Synchronic. The film from XYZ Films’ was released in 2021. The synchronic movie cast includes:
- Jamie Dornan,
- Anthony Mackie, Bill Oberst Jr.,
- Martin Bats Bradford and,
- Kate Adair.
But, if you’re a fan of great scripting and clever ideas then both of these films might appeal to you.
Let’s Start With Resolution (2012)
A man imprisons his estranged junkie friend in an isolated cabin in the boonies of San Diego to force him through a week of sobriety, but the events of that week are being mysteriously manipulated.
- Directors: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (plays Aaron in both films.)
- Writer: Justin Benson.
- Release: Tribeca Film Festival in April 2012 and internet release in January 2013 in the USA. It finally got a DVD premiere in 2014.
- Resolution cast includes Peter Cilella (Contracted 2 2015), Vinny Curran (The Endless 2017), and Emily Montague (Fright Night 2011.)
Resolution Movie Review
I guess you could call the Resolution movie a very slow burn. Luckily the two main characters Chris and Michael are so likable and the story is paced in such a way that I was never bored. Because I watched these two films in the wrong order, I was on high alert looking for clues, explanations, and common factors between the two.
On the surface, “Resolution” just looks like a story about one friend trying to save the other. Irrespective of the fact, that the majority of the film is spent with the two of them parked in this tiny little house while one tries to get the other to detox, there is ample interesting and subtle information being fed into the story.
Every single thing that seems to happen, is tinged with danger. The environment, the people, and other things within the town are dripping with a sinisterness that you can’t put your finger on. The cult from the second film makes a brief but poignant appearance. As Chris continues to search for clues about where they are and what seems to be happening, it slowly becomes obvious that not all is well.
Resolution is a Great Movie
Watching the Resolution movie after The Endless has made one thing happen. I need to watch The Endless again. There’s just something about a drama-filled science fiction-led story that includes an out-of-sight entity that both fascinates and exhilarates me. I love it. The technique used in both stories works for the audience and tells a fabulous story. It’s simple and well done.
I give Resolution
4 stuck in the middle again out of 5.
The Endless (2018)
Following two brothers who receive a cryptic video message urging them to revisit the UFO death cult, they escaped a decade earlier, The Endless doesn’t immediately feel like it’s making smart decisions. They need closure when all signs point to an ending for the people they grew up with. Not all is right with the group of people that seem perfectly normal.
As more and more evidence mounts, the brothers discover there is more at stake than just their relationship.
- Directors: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (Spring 2014.)
- Writer: Justin Benson (Resolution 2012.)
- Release: Premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2017 with an internet & DVD release in June 2018.
- The Endless movie cast: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez. Genres: Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller
The Endless and Resolution Movie Double Review.
The Endless Review
The Endless is similar to the 2009 horror movie “Triangle” (2009) with its time loop storyline as well as infusing itself with a dreamy remote landscape. I love narratives that involve creepy cult backdrops and this film can create a bit of a magic trick for the first half. While you’re busy waiting for the cult to be all cult-y, there’s a new danger rumbling in the background.
The Arcadia Camp houses what the two brothers think of as a UFO death cult. They believe that a sentient being has the highest power in their universe. Younger brother Aaron, only remembers his younger years at the camp as being happy and well-fed. Both felt they needed to be rescued from something so Justin did exactly that. Years after they’ve escaped the community they’re sent a video entertaining the thought the people they grew up with are about to sink the ship in a death pact. This spurs their decision to go back for a little visit thinking it will make their current lives more fulfilling.
The film’s main focus is the two brothers, their sibling rivalry, and overcoming a past and present source of contention. While Aaron becomes more comfortable at the camp, Justin wants nothing to do with it. The beauty of The Endless is in its layering of characters within the cult and watching the two brothers almost mindlessly fumble around within it. Neither of them knows the true nature of the people they live with and that something is definitely awry. By the end of the film, the connection with the first movie is fully established. Why people behave in certain ways and what the danger is, is revealed.
The Endless Movie Is For Fans Who Enjoy A Mind F*ck
Made on a micro-budget the Endless movie never feels done on the cheap. The ensemble, the cinematography, and the sets are purposefully bare but perfectly match the story. I’m someone who appreciates a film that can be interpretative depending on the viewer’s mindset.
For people that hate films that don’t connect all the dots perhaps this won’t be for you. For me, who loved all the layering and subtleness of stories such as Hereditary (2018), It Comes At Night (2017), Cargo (2017), and Triangle (2017), you will probably get a kick out of this one.
I give The Endless
4.5 who’s watching who? out of 5
Where Can I watch Resolution 2013
You can watch Resolution as a rental on YouTube. For more ways to watch, see Justwatch.com
Where Can I Watch The Endless?
You can watch The Endless on Prime Video in Australia or Arrow Player in the UK and USA. The USA also has this title streaming free on TubiTV, Flex and Hoopla.
