How It Ends – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
How It Ends not only doesn’t answer its title’s question but also makes for a terrible online release thanks to its writing, pacing, and maybe even acting. Director(s) David M. Rosenthal Screenplay By Brooks McLaren Date Released 7/13/2018 Genre(s) Drama, Action Good If You Like Road Trip Movies Movies Which End On a Cliffhanger Films…
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How It Ends not only doesn’t answer its title’s question but also makes for a terrible online release thanks to its writing, pacing, and maybe even acting.
| Director(s) | David M. Rosenthal | |
| Screenplay By | Brooks McLaren | |
| Date Released | 7/13/2018 | |
| Genre(s) | Drama, Action | |
| Good If You Like | Road Trip Movies
Movies Which End On a Cliffhanger Films That Leave a Lot Up To Theory Movies That Focus Primarily On Two People’s Complicated Relationship |
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| Noted Actors | ||
| Will | Theo James | |
| Tom | Forest Whitaker | |
| Sam | Kat Graham | |
| Ricki | Grace Dove | |
| Jeremiah | Mark O’Brien | |
Summary
In modern times, something happens on the west coast. At first, it seems like it may be an isolated incident. However, as the power grid goes down across the United States, as well as the ability to use anything but old school radio signals, it becomes clear something is wrong. So, in Chicago, Tom decides he is going out west, to Seattle, to save and protect his daughter. She was recently revealed to be pregnant and while he has a son, he feels his son is more than prepared for whatever is happening. Thus leading to him and his future son in law, Will, heading out west.
A rather dangerous journey since desperation makes a lot of people lose their humanity. Leading to the 27-year veteran, Tom, making a lot of choices Will finds hard to accept. Yet, as time goes on, they develop an understanding of what needs to be done to reach their mutual goal.
Highlights
Ricki
Being that Whitaker is more of an actor than entertainer, and James doesn’t match his abilities, Dove helps to balance these two out. She adds some much-needed personality to the road trip and while her part is by no means large, the period she is in the film will probably be the most enjoyable. Her character Ricki is comical, a little bit of a badass, and while not as heartless as Tom, she isn’t a complete dumbass like Will is either. Making it where, when she decides to abandon those two, the film finds itself dropping in quality almost immediately. For she really helps make the idea of watching these two guys together, for hundreds of miles, not feel like a dry, stereotypical, western.
Criticism
Be It Chemistry or The Writing, Watching Whitaker and James Together Makes For A Horrible Movie
As noted, Whitaker and James made a terrible duo in this movie. Whitaker is a great dramatic actor but he has his limits. His characters either are in some form of a calm, reserved, if not depressive state, like in this movie, or they are manic/depressive like in Repentance and The Last King of Scotland
For when it comes to James, while I will admit, from seeing him in the Divergent series, he does have a certain action hero appeal to him, that doesn’t benefit him much. At least not until near the end when suddenly, without much in the way of training, or us knowing this side to Will, he is whipping the car around like this is Fast and The Furious
Add in Will causes most of the problems Tom and he deals with and it makes the character even more frustrating. Especially when Ricki isn’t around for, again, she brings some sort of balance to the film. With her, it isn’t David vs. Goliath but a threesome where Will’s kind-hearted nature doesn’t seem stupid, or rather naive, but human. Making it where you can forgive Will’s decisions and James doesn’t appear to be challenging himself as an actor and failing to live up to what Whitaker just passively puts out.
The Ending
All we get is theories when it comes to the ending. Of which, the best one is presented by Jeremiah of there being a coordinated attack which knocked out the power grid, caused a tsunami, maybe earthquakes, and seemingly has disturbed the peace of local volcanoes. Though it seems a bit much, considering Jeremiah studied war game simulations, because he apparently is a software engineer for the government or some military focused entity, it makes sense. Much more than a simple earthquake causing all this.
But, with the theory being played down, you’re left wondering what is the truth? A question not answered because, there is no real communication about what is going on. There is no internet, no cell service, landlines seemingly don’t work, and only short-wave radio signals can get out. So, all we know is that Seattle pretty much is decimated and, what caused it to be destroyed, it’s still in effect and causing other issues. Like volcanos erupting.
On The Fence
The Sole Heart To Heart
Being that Tom doesn’t like Will, since he blames him for sinking a boat he restored over 6 years ago, that Will always brings up, they barely talk during the trip from Chicago to Seattle. In fact, before and during Ricki’s time with them, they don’t even bond. It’s not until an hour and ten minutes in they have a real conversation. One in which Tom talks about his father, brings up Will’s, and it seems, if they survive, they may become close. But, the fact you have to wait for that damn long to see any form of chemistry between these two, to enjoy them being the consistent faces of the movie, is a damn shame.
Overall: Negative (Skip It)
Outside of when Dove is on screen, the only thing interesting about this film is the car crashes. As for how the characters interact, Sam and Will’s relationship, the aftermath of whatever happened on the west coast? There isn’t much to really enjoy. You get a few action scenes which may wake you up but the temptation to just stop watching, thumb this down, and move on will be high.
Hence the negative label for between the writing and acting, this movie is too long to not have a good hook early on. And while Dove alleviates some of the film’s problems, it isn’t like she has some Tiffany Haddish in Girls Trip role or Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids
