I'm a big fan of films that leave you guessing at the end or that invite you to contemplate a mystery or a theme of our time. I'm also ok with films that have bleak endings; the bleakest of these being Frank Darabont's 2007 film "The Mist". For an ending that will leave you with your insides ripped out, I urge you to watch it. Darabont had to fight the studio to keep the ending.
Not all films therefore, have to have happy endings. But they should have an ending. I don't mean it should just end. It should have and ending or provide the audience with enough information to satisfactorily draw their own conclusions.
David Rosenthal directed How It Ends for Netflix and let's be clear; it has no ending. Our heroes are fleeing for their lives (see photo above) and then the end credits just start. I was left speechless and feeling I was robbed of 113 minutes of my life. The film has a good premise and builds up the tension nicely. Sure the script, and in particular some of the dialogue, is a bit clunky but it kept my interest.
So what is it about? Will (TheoJames) is about to become a dad. He is in Chicago on business when he loses contact with his wife (Kat Graham). Some event has occurred that plunges North America into chaos. Is it an alien invasion? China? North Korea? Aliens? It's never explained. Anyway our intrepid husband together with his father-in-law (Forest Whitaker) drive cross-country from Chicago to Seattle to save the day.
The film quickly descends into a poor cousin of The Walking Dead. Trust no one. Characters are introduced such as Grace Dove's character Ricki who inexplicably disappears and is promptly forgotten about. It has a great premise but failed to realise that potential.
I can only recommend it if you are bored or if you want to see a film that is missing its third act.