END, THE

(director/writer: Joshua Oppenheimer; screenwriter: Rasmus Heisterberg; cinematographer: Mikhail Krichman; editor: Nils Pagh Andersen; music: Josh Schmidt, Marius De Vries; cast: Tilda Swinton (Mother), Michael Shannon (Father), George MacKay (Son), Moses Ingram (girl), Lennie James (Doctor), Bronagh Gallagher (Friend), Tim  McInnerny (Butler), Danielle Ryan (Maid); Runtime: 148; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Tilda Swinton, Joshua Oppenheimer, Signe Byrge Sorensen; Neon; 2024)

“An overlong and overbearing arthouse film that I wanted to like more than I did.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Documentarian Joshua Oppenheimer (“The Act of Killing”/”Market Update”) films his first narrative as an overlong, dreary and overbearing arthouse film that I wanted to like it more than I did.

Oppenheimer co-writes it with Rasmus Heisterberg. It’s an odd-ball post-apocalyptic musical (with end of civilization music by the theatrical composer Joshua Schmidt), in a story that’s set in an underground bunker where a wealthy family has hoarded their cultural valuables. Despite the grim circumstances (the world has been destroyed by fire), these people of privilege try to act as if everything is fine.

Michael Shannon’s family, his former ballerina wife Tilda Swinton and their 25-year-old delusional son George MacKay, born and raised in the bunker, have secured comfortable living quarters down deep in a salt mine, and relax by singing show tunes together. Shannon was a former energy sector executive who downplays the role he played in the world collapse.

Shannon refuses to take any blame for what’s gone wrong in the world, stating that he tried to make a difference and that there’s no one person who could destroy the world.

The uptight mom only allows a few trusted outsiders into their secure underground quarters, such as her best friend (Bronagh Gallagher), the doctor (Lennie James), the maid (Danielle Ryan) and the butler (Tim  McInnerny).

The family pretends to live a frugal life even if actually living a life of luxury, and never admit to being frauds and liars.

At last they must face the difficult truth that they have been living a lie, as the character played by Moses Ingram crashes into their retreat and forces the family to look at themselves as covering up the truth of how they live their lives.

It played at the Telluride Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 11/27/2024  GRADE: B
dennisschwartzreviews.com