How It Ends is a new Netflix sci-fi action thriller about an apocalypse. Exactly how it all ends is pretty much the plot of this movie – well, sorta. The ending might need some explaining!

How It Ends is yet another sci-fi movie from Netflix. Once again, this is one of the better productions – as it was the case with Tau and not the case with Bright.

Still, the story just doesn’t blow my mind. Not by a long shot. While I do like that there is a lot more focus on a character-driven plot, I don’t really care much for the characters.

They seem very stereotypical and we know from the beginning how their relationships will evolve. However, I did absolutely like the actors. Just not many of the lines they had to speak. It literally seemed like this movie could’ve been written in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

We should have evolved beyond the stereotypical macho bullshit now. This proves we have not.

Ricki as the exception

While the characters are generally kind of annoying – and absolute stereotypes – there is a glorious exception. Her name is Ricki and she’s a young indigenous woman. She brings an energy and balance to the story, which is much needed.

Suddenly, we have a character actively calling out all the stupid macho stuff. She’s smart and knows how to survive. This is probably why we don’t see her that much during the entire movie. She would’ve made good decisions and then where would all the drama and thrills come from?

Ricki is portrayed by Grace Dove and I would’ve loved for her to be a much bigger part of How It Ends. In fact, I’d go as far as say I would love to see a sequel where we follow Ricki instead, so we could see more of Grace Dove as this character.

How It Ends (2018) Netflix

The apocalypse never looked so beautiful

There is at least one other actor that I enjoyed seeing on screen for her character. That would be Kerry Bishé (Rupture), but unfortunately, she’s only on screen for five minutes. At the most.

And yes, of course, Theo James (Underworld: Blood Wars) and Forest Whitaker (Arrival) deliver good performances. It’s just that their characters are pretty boring. It seems like just another day at the office for them. And I can’t say I blame them.

However, while the characters may be very one-dimensional, the surroundings are absolutely gorgeous. This may be a movie about the apocalypse, but they have managed to make it look damn good.

As Will (Theo James) and Tom (Forest Whitaker) drive cross country, they encounter one gorgeous sunset and sunrise after the other. As a result, the apocalypse looks stunning and you feel almost hopeful for mankind. Almost.

How It Ends ending explained

How It Ends is a very typical apocalypse story. And yet, the ending is both atypical and oh so familiar. Want the ending explained? Well, we’re not sure there is much to explain since it is left very open-ended.

The entire plot has been very macho-dominated. Basically, it seems whenever two men meet, they have to try and kill each other. Unless they have a non-sexual interest in a female. Then they can join forces and work together.

Spoiler alert: We will be going into actual details about the ending of How It Ends here.

In that sense, it works perfectly, that the final two are our hero and main protagonist, Will (Theo James), and his pregnant fiance, Samantha (Kat Graham).

After Will is confronted by yet another man, who has decided he wants to be with Samantha, only one man can remain alive. But hey, it’s been almost a week, so of course, people have started making plans for a new life, right?!

Anyway, having killed the (somewhat crazy and strange new) competition, Will and Samantha drive away from some sort of explosion. It looks like a cloud on fire. Could it be a volcano? Perhaps. A nuclear bomb? Sure, it could be. The next step in an alien invasion? Why not?!

The ending of How It Ends give us a few theories, but basically, nobody knows what the Hell is going on. Least of all its audience.

How It Ends is out on Netflix worldwide on July 13, 2018. 

Details

Director: David M. Rosenthal
Cast: Theo James | Forest Whitaker | Kat Graham | Grace Dove | Nicole Ari Parker | Mark O’Brien

Plot

As a mysterious apocalypse causes the spread of misinformation and violence, a man and his estranged father-in-law race across a chaotic and fractured country to save his pregnant wife.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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