Feature Length Review: 'End of the Line' (2007)

Man’s fear of religious fanaticism and extreme right-wing holiness is a concern shared throughout much of the Western world, especially after the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. The seemingly stubborn obedience possessed by many devout Catholics and fundamentalist evangelicals, coupled with their beliefs of an all knowing, all powerful God make for a hotspot of anxiety all too familiar for non-believers. And while the Christian phenomenon may at times seem innate only to North America, radical faith mongers of disparate religions are wide spread throughout the globe and as we all know have often been the catalyst for many a war and unbridled bloodshed. But what makes one believe so irrefutably their faith of choice? And how can something as simple as personal conviction be contorted to the point of perverse hatred toward another human life? These questions and many more are put at the forefront of Maurice Devereaux’s low budget horror thriller End of the Line, a balls-to-the-wall splatter movie that also serves as a social observation of the insanity inherent in spiritual divinity.



THE LOWDOWN: A young woman, Karen (Ilona Elkin), waits to take the subway home after a long, agonizing shift at the local hospital. The patients she has been treating have grown increasingly paranoid, ranting wildly about devils, demons and other such unholy creatures scheming a day of reckoning and judgment for all mankind. While at the station she is briefly harassed by leering pervert Patrick (Robin Wilcock) only to then be rescued by the endearing Mike (Nicolas Wright), a charming young man with a far more hospitable approach to the ladies. Soon after the couple board the oncoming train a mechanical malfunction ceases all activity and those few passengers left inside become stranded within the darkened tunnels. Things soon go from bad to worse as several of the train’s commuters turn out to be part of an insidious religious cult known as the ‘Voice of Hope’, hell-bent on slaughtering the uninitiated in order to 'save' them from the horrors of an oncoming apocalypse.



THE TERROR TALE & ITS TIMING: Horror films about homicidal religious sects and the impending threat of spiritual invasion have run rampant throughout the genre since the days of its inception. Rosemary’s Baby, Children of the Corn, The Prophecy and more recently The House of the Devil each portray groups of obsessively rigid individuals fervent on believing in one God or another, often with Satanic implications. End of the Line capitalises on this idea – both figuratively and literally – in the sense that those who regard themselves as non-believers are chastised for their choice not to conform, not because they regard their actions as apathetic but rather because they have no awareness of the supposed “day of reckoning” that awaits them. As an audience you are never entirely sure whether or not the end of the world, as voiced by the film’s God-loving lunatics, is in fact a reality or simply a smokescreen fabricated through the illogical ramblings of the films’ antagonists. It is this ambiguity that makes Devereaux’s screenplay so effective in its efforts to blur the line between truth and fantasy, ultimately leaving it up to the viewer to interpret the events prophesized.



The religious subtext that inhabits every heartbeat of End of the Line no doubt set it apart from much of today’s genre fare but Devereaux also makes sure his movie is damned entertaining on a visceral level as well, creating a rockingly-good funhouse of horror that sustains a nice pace, has plenty of action and employs an enjoyably nasty sensibility to its depictions of murder and mayhem. The screenplay continually assaults the already existent fears many of us share about subways: late night stations crawling with weirdos, dimly lit platforms, sudden power failures on the tracks and being left in the dark, etc. As a matter of fact the entire movie takes place underground as the characters – both good and evil – move trepidatiously through the darkened tunnels of the films’ subterranean maze, forever petrified and on the edge of complete insanity. There are a couple of puzzling scenes (eg, an opening sequence suggesting supernatural forces could be at work?), occasional inconsistencies in character motivation as well as some major lapses in logic, however such minor flaws never sway the overall rollercoaster tempo the film exhibits so enthusiastically.



DOOMED CHARACTERS: Siege movies, by their very nature, require a tremendous investment in character on behalf of the audience. When observing a group of people in peril or facing an extreme situation of life or death, we as viewers immediately ask ourselves “what would I do if I were them?” This question resides at the heart of survivalist movies and thus anytime believability is compromised (whether through poor character decisions, feeble attempts at sincerity or flat out idiotic plot twists) it becomes much harder to regain that trust between filmmaker and audience and still remain interested in the events unfolding on screen. For the most part the characters in End of the Line win your sympathies; all are reasonably identifiable, if not slightly stereotyped in their attitudes and actions. Problems arise, however, during a number of Devereaux’s attempts at conveying an overwhelming sense of religious fever, perhaps most evident through the behaviour of the films’ adversaries. Much of the dialogue feels forced and heavy-handed, occasionally resulting in a number of campy performances (notably Joan McBride’s wide-eyed portrayal of villainous cult leader Betty and some pretty amateurish supporting players who act like they’re reading pocket copies of the script off screen). That said, the film still boasts a number of solid performances that hold your attention long enough to endure their inevitable bloody demises.



THE LOOK OF FEAR: Ambitious in more ways than one, End of the Line demonstrates an impressive flair for its own enthusiasm and zeal throughout almost every visual aspect of the production. Interestingly, only a very small amount of the film was shot in actual subway systems, making the resulting fabrications all the more notable and Devereaux’s skill as a horror auteur more than established as a result. Right from the get go the film is fueled by an oppressive atmosphere and an unforgiving sense of dread that informs every nightmarish development, not to mention the state of mind of each character involved. The hellish torment they are subject to as one by one they are taken down by way of bloody crucifix and the occasional sword are but one part of a greater picture of evil; one that soon leads them to believe the in the collapse of civilisation as we know it. Denis-Noel Mostert’s lively camera work, while occasionally under-lit, brings a real sense of immediacy to the proceedings and further illustrates the frenetic terror raging through the subway and elsewhere outside. Adrian Morot's effects work is also stellar, especially considering the minimal production resources on hand as copious amounts of entrails and other bodily viscera splash across the screen with unbridled glee (NOTE: one scene involving a mother and her unborn child may have more casual viewers running for the bathroom sink). However you cut it, Devereaux displays a keen ability for crafting intense action set pieces and a possesses a strong finesse for all things grotesque.



THE SOUND OF FRIGHT: By far one of the best aspects of End of the Line's creative endeavours is its marvellous score, composed by relative newcomer Martin Gauthier. Emotionally the film covers many degrees of intensity, from subtle disquiet to abject horror and everything else in between. Gauthier’s rich musical efforts illustrate each extent with thoughtful consideration, never once seeming pretentious or clumsy by means of misguided interpretation. The movie also features a stirring theme reminiscent of the work of renowned composers such as Philip Glass and the late Jerry Goldsmith; their trademark orchestral strings recur several times throughout the action, foreshadowing the impending fate that awaits the films’ hapless victims in their desperate search for mercy. In an age when bona fide ‘themes’ are a genuine rarity amongst horror films, End of the Line not only pays homage but also reinstates the days of old.



FINAL THOUGHTS: Whether or not you subscribe to its values or not, organised religion is more powerful and prevalent than ever and we as a society are subject to the impact of its implications every day, indirectly or otherwise. What makes Devereaux’s film effective is the notion of its premise and what could happen if fundamentalist faith were to ever reach epidemic proportions and distort one’s reality to the point of committing ritual homicide in the name of a higher power. As a sceptic of God myself, End of the Line is particularly disturbing and warrants an importance perhaps otherwise considered absurd by the more informal viewer. Either way, this is an intelligent, commanding, wicked little chiller that demands a consideration often reserved for more so-called ‘sophisticated’ fright fare.

Dir: Maurice Devereaux
Writer: Maurice Devereaux
Cast: Ilona Elkin, Nicolas Wright, Neil Napier, Tim Rozon, Joan McBride
Country: Canada
Run Time: 95mins
Rated: MA15+