An unexplained event has occurred off the Western coast of the United States, seismic tremors ripple across the country, communications are severed and a total blackout of power engulfs the entire country, this is How It Ends. Theo James is flying back from a work trip and visiting with his soon to be in-laws in Chicago when the event occurs stranding him half a country away from his pregnant fiancée in Seattle. Forest Whitaker is a strong willed former Marine and father who would do anything to keep his only daughter safe, including taking Theo James who he has not totally accepted into his daughters life on an apocalyptic road trip to Seattle.
I’m all for end of the world, apocalypse, disaster films until the movie becomes the disaster. We never fully realize what is happening or causing the effects of destruction in the movie which is fine, is it aliens or an attack or natural, who knows which is great, choose your own adventure in your head. The problem I had with this movie is Theo James and Forest Whitaker both why are they in this they are better than this, it’s what you’d expect from two people on opposite ends of comfort levels being cooped up in a car, but, the script is bad and how many times can one character make the same mistakes and not learn from them. There is a third passenger they pick up played by Grace Dove off an Indian reservation who’s story doesn’t add any real dynamic and doesn’t get much to do besides be a third wheel. I continued watching hoping for some more depth to these characters which never occurs and just keeps the same pace from start to end trapped in a car with two men I could have cared less if they survived their trip. C.
