End of the Line (2006)


REVIEWER RATING: 
7/10


Low-budget writer/director Maurice Devereaux has been in the genre scene since the late 90's with his debut via the Fangoria Films label with a flick called Lady of the Lake. That was followed by Slashers a few years later, which proved to be an interesting, but mediocre film. Five years later he comes out with a little movie called End of the Line, which surprised many people, including myself. Despite its low budget, Maurice managed to deliver a very well done movie in all aspects, even making some mainstream efforts pale in comparison.

The film offers a fairly original tale about a group of passengers in a subway station who attempt to survive what seems to be the end of civilization as we know it. Basically a large cult of religious fanatics decides to "save" everyone who isn't a part of their cult by stabbing them with daggered-crosses. We're soon revealed that it's not only happening within the subway station, but also above ground within the city. As I said before, the movie is good all around, even in the scares department, which is especially effective in the beginning when we get one scare after the other, all of which do the trick if you've got the volume high enough.

The practical effects are good, relying very little on CGI. I especially liked a certain beheading scene, which looked almost too real. Some of the acting is questionable at times from supporting characters, but for the most part the leads were believable. One of the strongest assets the movie offers is the creative story -- a rarity in the genre today. The story is much deeper than a seemingly killer cult. Normally when a movie is good it's plagued by a bad or cheesy ending. Luckily that doesn't happen here, in fact, we're given a more open-ended climax, offering room to decide what was really meant by it.

Despite the fact that this movie has won numerous awards over the years traveling to various festivals, it still hasn't received US distribution. Why? apparently the director is waiting for the right deal to come his way, but it was recently released on DVD in its home country of Canada, so US residents can always import (like I did). It seems like Maurice Devereaux improves with each film, so I'm looking forward to see what he comes out with next.

In a sea of pointless straight-to-DVD sequels and needless remakes comes this little low-budget gem. Effects, story, gore, and sheer entertainment, this movie offers up high scores in all aspects. Worth a check, it may surprise you.
OVERALL: 
In a sea of pointless straight-to-DVD sequels and needless remakes comes this little low-budget gem. Effects, story, gore, and sheer entertainment, this movie offers up high scores in all aspects. Worth a check, it may surprise you.


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