New Horror Film ‘It Ends’ Gives Us an Unexpected Protagonist

The film tells the story of four friends who seemingly take a wrong turn in the woods, and end up on a journey marked by a creeping sense of dread and inexplicable threats. In addition to offering a uniquely Gen Z perspective, It Ends is also a rare example of a horror movie with an Asian American lead. Written and directed by Alex Ullom, who himself comes from a mixed Jamaican Chinese and white background, the film also stars Korean American actor Phinehas Yoon as James. We spoke to them about the ideas behind It Ends, and what it means to have an Asian American character make it to the end of the film.

What was the inspiration behind the story?

Alex:  I actually started this journey when I was 22 (I'm 28 now). I had a pretty rough transition into adulthood—mentally, emotionally, whatever. And then as I got older, I realized that where my younger self was really pulling from was this kind of general lack of structure for young people. And the fact that a lot of the tent poles that used to hold up society, whether it was starting a family or getting a house or whatever, didn't exist for me at the time. I just was very aimless and I felt like I was in this very transitionary, liminal space of just moving forward without a destination. That, and then also smoking weed on my buddy's porch and being like, “What if a road never ended?”

The character James is ultimately the one who keeps going until the end. Was it intentional to have the Asian American character be the one who keeps striving and pushing forward?

Alex: I mean, my self-insert is the more attractive version of myself. That was the guy that was going to go and process the emotion of what I was going through…I never even set out really with that intention to make James Asian. I think obviously Phin was absolutely the best for the role, but also my specific experience growing up in Florida is exactly what that car looks like. It's very diverse, but it was never part of the plan.

As far as it comes to having an Asian lead, I think it's nice that there's a movie where he's not talking about his Asian experience. I just wanted a really flawed, piece of shit, Asian kid that can just be himself. He's not beholden to the narrative tropes of being Asian in a typical horror movie. Just the fact that he survives the longest, just honestly, the fact that he's the main character. Point me to another young 20-year-old Asian lead in a horror movie.

Phinehas: The first time my mom saw the film, she didn't know that I was the lead. And that term is kind of loose because I think this is really an ensemble piece. And so my mom was watching the film and she thought that there was going to be some sort of stereotypical trope that was going to happen to me…I think subconsciously because I was Asian. So the fact that he does last throughout the entire film, my mom was surprised. And I think that's just because of how culture has set a lot of these Asian characters where they might be the first ones to go. And because of that, people have this sort of pre-thought that there's something very specific that's going to happen to the Asian character. So to be able to really just put that to the side and just go, "we want to make a really great character and we want all of them to be these very distinct individuals" was really, really cool.

And what drew you to this role?

Phinehas: The story. It was just the entire world of it. It was the best script I've ever read. And I remember after reading it that I wasn't quite sure where I was anymore after I got up from the table at my apartment. And there was just something about it, as far as just the nature of the script, where there's such a youthfulness and exuberance to it. 

How were you able to balance the sense of existential dread and humor? 

Alex: I think that dread balanced with humor is kind of baked into the average young person's experience right now, where one second you're watching a guy's head get blown off and then the next you're watching the Geico lizard twerking or something. That's just a fundamental aspect of being a young person now, being exposed to intense terror and then having to hang out with your friends. I think that that's where a lot of the humor comes from, kids just trying to hold onto each other while everything around them is kind of dissolving.

In the film, the characters are questioning whether they're dead, whether they're in purgatory. Are you happy to have people interpret the story in different ways?

Alex: Yeah, of course…I love that. I get a lot of really nice messages about how the film has helped someone with their depression or whatever they were going through. That's why I exist. So yeah, I'm very happy for anyone to project anything onto it.

‍Phinehas: It really is one of the greatest joys, if not the greatest joy, being able to make a film like this where someone will come up to me—I think Alex told me that somebody quit their job after they watched the film—and just have such visceral, almost existential, almost sort of comedic in their own kind of way, reactions to this film. 

‍Alex: Yeah, I met the guy that quit his job. I think it's insane that someone quit their job after watching the movie. Fun fact, he was Asian as well. So I don't know what that means, but clearly it's resonating.

It Ends is in theaters nationwide on August 28.