Post-apocalyptic musical struggles to hit the right notes

Riding the apocalypse in a bunker isn’t just for rich people, although they may be the most comfortable when the end times actually come. No one is exactly comfortable in the end,
A sad musical that takes place after the world has ended. Tilda Swinton and Michael Shannon star as the mother and father of George Mackay’s character, a boy born at a time when his once wealthy father’s dealings in the energy sector may have contributed to the collapse of society.

The mother spends most of her time redecorating the home, recycling through artwork as she hyper-fixates on the most minute details. The father and son, meanwhile, are collaborating on a book about the father’s contributions to the world, although it is clear that the altruistic person he portrays to him is an illusion. The delusions are the heart of The end And while the film struggles to balance its musical elements with its absurd story, it’s a fascinating exercise that feels utterly original.

The end slowly reveals his true intentions

Everything changes when a mysterious stranger arrives

Very few details are given as to how the world actually ended, but it has been indicated that the transition to the bunker was a rough one, resulting in many people being left behind and much more bloodshed when released. tried to enter. Secrecy is by design. When a stranger arrives (played by the brilliant Moshe Ingram), the dynamics of the bunker are constantly under attack, which can shift at any moment.

Although Mackay’s son is a grown man, his upbringing in the bunker protected him from the ugliness of the world. His parents and their friends avoid reality by sheer force of will, but the son is lucky enough not to know better. When Ingram’s stranger arrives, he must confront the fact that his parents may have lied to him all along, and they must confront the idea that their underground paradise is weaker than a house of cards.

Swinton in particular gives a staggering performance as the mother, a masterclass in delusion as she grapples with survivor’s guilt. Initially, it is unclear whether Swinton or Shannon’s characters feel any remorse. They seem content to live their lives wrapped up in the revisionist stories they tell themselves. Their son is less eager to stay in the confines of the made-up world, especially when the stranger begins to force all sorts of revelations to the surface.

It begins with some questions: What happened to the mother’s family? Do they feel bad at all about surviving while so many others faced a brutal death? Do they think about those who are still out there, struggling in the wasteland of a ruined world? These are enough to send the entire bunker spinning, revealing the delicacy of this shared delusion.

These feelings and more are expressed through song and dance. It’s compelling, but the musical elements eventually wear thin. Most of the numbers are somber affairs, suitable for the film but with slight variations to deny the proceedings. There are bright spots – Mackay gets a dazzling sequence where he dances around the salt mines outside the bunker, Oppenheimer uses wide shots to show how vast the caves are, big enough to fit the family’s fantasies of goodness.

Ingram also gives a stunning performance as she navigates the newfound family and grapples with her own guilt, both curious and guarded in her eyes and body. She can’t be sent back outside, but she also can’t bear to live with people who are so consumed by the lies they tell themselves.

While The end Feels like it goes on a little too long, repeating the same ideas, it’s still fascinating to watch due to the sheer absurdity of its premise. Oppenheimer directs the hell of the movie, with the filmmaker Mikhail Krichman, who makes the bunker and the surrounding caves beautiful and beautiful. The end is a challenging film and the rewards may be minimal, but that it exists at all is a miracle itself.

The end Had its premiere at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival before playing at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is 148 minutes long and not yet rated.