TIFF 2024: The End Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Perhaps one of the most unexpected films to emerge from TIFF this year is The End, an ensemble musical that marks the narrative feature debut of documentarian filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer. Here, he leans on his past documentary filmmaking experience to explore the pursuit of forgiveness in the face of unforgivable acts, this time within the context of family dynamics. For a film that follows a wealthy family two decades after they contributed to the end of the world, perhaps going light on the one percent isn’t in fashion—but Oppenheimer’s worldly experience makes the material potent.

Meanwhile, much about the outside world is a mystery. The characters reside in a bunker built within a vast, open cave network, whose outer walls are etched with rib-like ridges, giving the eerie impression that they are living inside the Earth’s stomach. Despite the apocalyptic setting, high-class living continues inside the bunker: they enjoy full meals, maintain hobbies and schedules, and adorn the rooms with expensive furniture, paintings, and antiques. The story revolves around an unnamed family, identified only by their roles: Mother (Swinton), Father (Shannon), and Son (MacKay). However, their idyllic isolated existence is disrupted upon the arrival of Girl (Moses Ingram), a presence gradually unravelling their established dynamic.

While Oppenheimer has crafted a story about capitalism, it is less of a timely takedown and more of an exploration of a family unravelling as their secrets begin to surface. While it would be easy for some of these characters to devolve into villains at any point, thanks to the soft edge in the performances and the script, the results are more ambiguous. The outcome of the film relies on where audiences stand on the family.

Those expecting show tunes and large musical numbers should be warned that The End is not that kind of musical. The film deliberately strips back the theatrics and is more akin to a sung-through piece—an opera at the end of the world. While there are standout moments, the songs themselves don’t always captivate, often lacking memorable refrains. It speaks to Oppenheimer’s documentary background that he trusts his cinematographer and performers without the need for frequent cuts, and while the emotion is usually captured during these songs, they eventually feel somewhat repetitive by the hour mark, with a few exceptions. It’s also worth noting that full praise must be given to the art direction and production design. The film’s cave is such a stunning environment that it’s difficult to discern whether it’s real, CGI, or matte paintings.

The End is a striking, ambitious, and cerebral entry into the apocalyptic genre, blending Oppenheimer’s documentary sensibilities with a quiet examination of privilege, guilt, and moral decay. By leaving its moral ambiguities unresolved, Oppenheimer invites viewers to sit with uncertainty, prompting reflection on both personal and collective responsibility. It’s a fascinating effort that doesn’t always quite come together. Unfortunately, the test of a musical’s greatness lies on the strength of its songs, but Oppenheimer has crafted a unique experience nonetheless.

still courtesy of Elevation Pictures

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J.A. Birney

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