The Buildout – Movie Review (2/5)

THE BUILDOUT is a new mystery thriller with a gorgeous setting, few characters, and lots of mystery… even too much. I was completely mesmerized as I watched it but was left wanting more. Read our full The Buildout movie review here!

THE BUILDOUT is out on VOD after a great festival run. I can easily see why this mystery thriller would work well at film festivals. Especially the kind of screenings where the filmmaker is doing an interview afterward to help clarify details.

Ultimately, The Buildout felt like reading the middle chapter of a really good book. It was engaging and I wanted to read the chapters before as well as those that came after, but was denied this. Needless to say, this doesn’t result in any kind of optimal experience. Certainly not for me.

Continue reading our The Buildout movie review below. Find it on VOD from February 25, 2025.

A lot of mystery in a gorgeous setting

With The Buildout, we’re following two friends, Dylan and Cameron, as they head out to the desert. One is going there to support a friend and the other is going there to live. It’s something she’s doing to join others from her church – which is possibly an actual cult, according to their friend.

There’s something about this particular place in the middle of the desert. Could it be a place of religious power and significance or possibly something alien? Maybe a place that has been used for experiments and left something strange behind?!

No one really knows, but it’s the belief of this church that they need to live right in the epicenter which is marked by a strange tent. One that is humming with an esoteric energy and more mystery.

According to the official synopsis, The Buildout is about this place and states that “…What is found within its walls is incomprehensible.” Well, I would agree as we’re never entirely sure exactly what is found there.

Still, the place looks amazing and the shots are worthy of National Geographic. And yes, I do mean this to be a huge compliment. I loved it!

The power (and danger) of friendship

When we first meet Dylan (Hannah Alline) and Cameron (Jenna Kanell), they are out on one last adventure together. Going ever deeper into the desert, this is a final goodbye to their friendship as one of them will stay secluded in the desert while the other goes back home.

This is all documented by a handheld camera, but it never gets too wild in that motion sickness-inducing way that I abhor. Instead, they switch to also using cameras attached to the helmets when riding dirtbikes or placing the handheld camera somewhere solid, so it’s not all over the place.

Kudos to the filmmaker for this choice. That is how you use a handheld camera to create up-close action without making the audience nauseous.

In any case, the actual plot in The Buildout is less about what was or is and more about what comes next. Having experienced trauma involving someone dear to them both, they struggle to get back to their former selves.

Two strong lead actors

With Jenna Kanell (Renfield, Terrifier) and Hannah Alline (The Hunt, Doom Patrol) in the lead roles, we’re getting very strong performances. And also very different character portrayals.

One has gotten clean and found God (or something similar) which has led them to choose a life in the desert. The other is grinding through it and finding another way to live their life with this loss.

The Buildout aims to “bridge the gap between found footage and traditional cinematic storytelling while leaning into strong, capable, and unapologetic characters” which I will say is accomplished. very much so.

If only the focus on the plot and storyline had been slightly more evolved, I would’ve been one happy film fan.

Watch The Buildout on VOD now

The Buildout was written and directed by Zeshaan Younus and is the debut feature from distributor Ethos Releasing. As stated initially, I can understand why this was a festival favorite. Hell, I would’ve loved to watch this at a festival screening.

The meditative and mesmerizing imagery is perfect for a dark theater with other fans of genre films. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this movie, because I really did.

However, I was also left wanting more. And sure, sometimes that is a good thing. Less can be more in a roundabout way, but sometimes it’s just too little. I was left wanting more answers. Not that I needed everything explained, but this was just a little too little.

I loved watching it but was still left wondering about a few details too many. The mystery in this thriller is fascinating but also left way too unresolved for my liking. The runtime is short at just around 70 minutes, but I would’ve liked just another five minutes to explore further.

THE BUILDOUT arrives on all VOD platforms on February 25, 2025.

Details

Director: Zeshaan Younus
Writer: Zeshaan Younus
Cast: Jenna Kanell, Hannah Alline, Natasha Halevi, Michael Sung Ho