How It Ends
As an unexplained apocalypse tears across North America, a determined man and his future father-in-law undertake a perilous drive to reach his pregnant fiancé in Seattle.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- bleak
- foreboding
- late night thriller viewing
- disaster movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film intermittently engaging and visually capable but undermined by thin characterization, conventional plotting, and an unsatisfying resolution.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Will and Tom drive thousands of miles toward Seattle while earthquakes, tsunamis, violence, and other disasters disrupt the journey.
The west coast apocalypse is presented through its effects, including strange lightning and geological devastation, without a clear cause.
Will crosses a collapsing continent to reach his pregnant fiancé Samantha, making impending parenthood central to the journey.
Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and lightning expand the road journey into a visually effects-driven science fiction thriller.
Films like How It Ends, and why
The Road
shared post apocalyptic survival journey, escalating environmental catastrophe, and strained family relationships
Greenland
shared disaster thriller structure, cross-country rescue mission, and emphasis on survival under collapsing infrastructure
The Rover
shared apocalyptic road movie framework, tense encounters with desperate survivors, and bleak uncertainty
Cloverfield
shared speculative disaster premise, survival suspense, and emotionally driven journey through a hostile landscape
Movie Details
- Director
- David M. Rosenthal
- Release Date
- 2018-07-13
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 5.3 / 10 (2090)
Cast
- Theo James
- Forest Whitaker
- Kat Graham
- Kerry Bishé
- Grace Dove
- Mark O'Brien
- Nicole Ari Parker
- Nancy Sorel
- Anett Rumanoczky
- Cheryl Gensiorek
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is How It Ends about?
- As an unexplained apocalypse tears across North America, a determined man and his future father-in-law undertake a perilous drive to reach his pregnant fiancé in Seattle.
- What is How It Ends like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of How It Ends as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is How It Ends violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in How It Ends as moderate.
- What did critics think of How It Ends?
- Critics broadly found the film intermittently engaging and visually capable but undermined by thin characterization, conventional plotting, and an unsatisfying resolution.
- Which films are like How It Ends?
- Films with a similar feel include The Road, Greenland, The Rover, and Cloverfield.
- How long is How It Ends?
- How It Ends runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch How It Ends?
- In United States, How It Ends streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
