As kids, they escaped a UFO death cult. Now, two adult brothers seek answers after an old videotape surfaces and brings them back to where they began. A film by Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, starring Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Callie Hernandez, Lew Temple, James Jordan, and Tate Ellington.

The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. — H.P. Lovecraft

Brothers Justin (Justin Benson) and Aaron (Aaron Moorhead) receive a mysterious VHS tape in the mail from Camp Arcadia, a group they belonged to as children. Justin believes Arcadia is a dangerous UFO cult planning a mass suicide, but Aaron only remembers it as a loving, close-knit community. The video they watch together seems to support Aaron’s fond memories, leaving the brothers conflicted about the true nature of Camp Arcadia.

Years ago, Justin helped his younger brother Aaron escape from what he believed was a dangerous cult. Their story briefly made headlines, but Aaron struggled to adjust to life outside the camp. After receiving a mysterious videotape showing the camp members living happily, Aaron convinces a reluctant Justin to return with him to Camp Arcadia for closure.

Despite Justin’s lingering suspicions about the videotape, he agrees to accompany Aaron back to the camp out of love for his brother. Upon arrival, they are shocked to find all the members gathered together, looking exactly as they did a decade ago. This unsettling discovery leaves Justin grappling with questions about Camp Arcadia and its seemingly ageless inhabitants.

During their stay, Justin begins to notice inexplicable occurrences that defy logic. He witnesses a baseball seemingly suspended in mid-air, loses a tug-of-war against an unseen force in the darkness while all camp members are accounted for, and can’t shake the feeling of being watched by an unseen presence that leaves mysterious photographs behind. Seeking answers, Justin approaches Hal (Tate Ellington), whom he assumes to be the camp leader. However, Hal denies being in charge and claims to know no more than anyone else at Camp Arcadia. He suggests that if Justin wants answers, he’ll have to piece them together himself from the clues left behind by whatever enigmatic force seems to be guiding events at the camp.

The following night, Justin encounters Jennifer Danube (Emily Montague), a woman who has traveled to Camp Arcadia in search of her missing husband, Michael. (At this point, viewers familiar with the directors’ previous film, RESOLUTION, will recognize Jennifer and understand the significance of her search for Michael.)

This scene connects “The ENDLESS” to the directors’ earlier work, creating a shared universe between the films. For those who haven’t seen “RESOLUTION,” Jennifer’s appearance adds another layer of mystery to the already puzzling events at Camp Arcadia.

Following a clue from one of the mysterious photographs, Justin dives into the lake near the camp. Underwater, he discovers a metal box containing an old videotape. The footage shows him in conversation with Michael (Peter Cilella). When Aaron learns of this discovery, he realizes that Justin hasn’t been entirely truthful about their past at Camp Arcadia. Tensions rise, and Hal asks Justin to leave the camp alone, separating the brothers.

Unable to start his car, Justin is forced to leave on foot. He inadvertently wanders into a strange area occupied by Carl (James Jordan), a man trapped in a time loop just before his death. Carl offers to guide Justin back to the camp, but on one condition: Justin must first retrieve a gun from Chris (Vinny Curran), another individual seemingly caught in his own temporal anomaly.

Written by Justin Benson and co-directed by Benson and Aaron Moorhead, The ENDLESS is a masterfully crafted sci-fi thriller with horror elements. This film stands on its own, but viewers familiar with the directors’ previous work, RESOLUTION, will find even more to appreciate. The ENDLESS serves as an expansion of the universe established in RESOLUTION deepening the mythology and interconnected storylines. The film showcases Benson and Moorhead’s talent for blending genres and creating atmospheric, mind-bending narratives.

The ENDLESS premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on 21 Aril 2017. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 6 April 2018, by Well Go USA Entertainment.