Naturalistic acting, lovely cinematography, nicely understated style, good music, well directed. I didn't know what to expect when I chose this on a whim, and was pleased to find myself engrossed.Subtitles - some people are prejudiced against subtitles but you soon get used to them. It opens up a new world of film: great films you'd never see otherwise, and better in the original than any second-hand Hollywood remake. Also, you never wonder what is being said during action or mumbling - it's all there!Ending - SPOILERS! Some people seemed confused by it, and it is open to interpretation, but here's my take on it. We see a big explosion at the start, maybe an ancient supernova in Sirius. It brings to mind the big bang theory - part of which is questions about what happened before. Many believe in a cycle of expansion and contraction, all matter eventually pulled back to collide and bounce back in a new big bang. So endings are also beginnings (one message of the film). At the end it is proposed that god has died; that the world-despoiling humans have no real purpose but as a beloved experiment of a god. With god's death we fade away, at the point when we realise we are alone and despair (pay attention to each disappearance). Note that non-humans in the film don't usually seem to be alone - flocks of birds, packs of dogs, goats, two vultures, lambs. However, the supernova is representative of the death of a god, but there are other stars, maybe a new god takes over, starts again. One man, one woman called Eve, in an unpopulated Eden. The EMP at the start serves one purpose as a red herring (has there been a nuclear bomb attack?), keeping you guessing about the type of film it is, but also serves to wipe out electronic technology, wipe the slate, create a simpler world in which to start again. Anyway, just some thought, I'm sure the original novel is well worth reading to find out more. Oh, if the supernova was a god dying it is interesting that we repeatedly see stopped clocks, beyond the point where it gives the viewer information - it has to tie in to Auden's Stop The Clocks funereal poem (which also mentions phones not working, planes, oceans, and stars going out).

After twenty years, Sara (Carmen Ruiz) invites her friends to reunite again in the same isolated cabin where they met for the last time. Félix (Daniel Grao) goes with the younger escort Eva (Clara Lago) posing of his girlfriend; his ex-girlfriend Maribel (Maribel Verdú) leaves her two children with her mother and travels with her husband Rafa (Antonio Garrido); the wolf Hugo (Andrés Velencoso) travels with his wife Cova (Blanca Romero); the lonely pothead Sergio (Miquel Fernández) travels alone. Sara is worried since their friend Ángel "Prophet" (Eugenio Mira) has not arrived yet. There is a secret about something that happened twenty years ago with the prophet that was the reason to keep them apart.During the night, the group is around a bonfire and Ángel never shows up, and Sara discloses that it was Ángel's idea to gather his friends on that day. Out of the blue, there is a lighting followed by thunder and all the power is cut – batteries of cellular have run down; the cars have flat batteries and the group argues. Soon Eva learns that twenty years ago, Ángel was forced to consume drugs that have seriously affected him. He became violent and started to foresee the end of the world, ending in an asylum. None of his friends but Sara has ever visited him in the institution, and they first believe that Ángel has plotted an evil scheme against them. One the next morning, Rafa vanishes and they believe he has walked to the nearby town and the group decides to do the same. But soon, each one of them disappears in the end of the days."Fin" is an intriguing and very well acted Spanish thriller, with Maribel Verdú that is one of my favorite Spanish actresses and the unknown Clara Lago, one of the most beautiful new faces in the cinema industry. Unfortunately, the pointless conclusion gave me the same sensation I had when "Lost" ended. The writers succeeded in creating the engaging mystery but without any answer to the events but the simplistic explanation of the apocalyptic end of the world, with Eva apparently surviving. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Fim dos Tempos" ("End of the Times")

In case the apocalypse ever occurs, I suppose it'll happen in a flash, and no living soul on earth will be able to make arrangements for where he/shell will be and in which company he/she will spend the final hours. If we would be capable of predicting the exact time and circumstances of the inescapable Armageddon, then I presume we would all prefer to be at home, surrounded by our loved ones. The complete opposite forms the slightly genius premise of this Spanish sci-fi/drama "The End". Nearly 20 years after they last saw each other, six former childhood friends (and their reluctant partners) plan a reunion weekend in a mountain cabin far from the civilized world. Although they initially pretend to be happy be see each other, the lies, jealousy, treason and unfinished affairs from the past quickly come to the surface again. But then, at the campfire during the first night already, there's a sudden bright light in the sky and all electronic equipment ceases to function. Next morning, the group starts exploring the area and slowly come to realize that the animals have gone wild and that all human life seemingly has vaporised. Moreover, they experience that, if anyone get separated from the group, they mysteriously vanish as well. I honestly wished I could grant "The End" with an even higher rating than I did now, because it's an overall very captivating and atmospherically unfolding apocalyptic tale with several original plot elements, terrific performances and some of the most staggering filming locations I've ever seen. The characters are identifiable, their thoughts and reasoning are realistic, and their gradually increasing paranoia and despair is sensible. In fact, "The End" is the type of film that remains downright brilliant for as long as any kind of explanation isn't required yet. And although I know some films deliberate avoid explanations and leave everything open for personal interpretation, it's eventually the total lack thereof that prevented me from giving an even higher rating. Especially when the climax is approaching, the script raises too much questions and contradictions for its own good. Don't go into "The End" expecting any virulent apocalyptic action, neither, as the world goes under without any drop of bloodshed. There's beautiful cinematography and music, a few excellent scenes with mountain goats and a pack of wild dogs, and a devoted cast including the ravishing young beauty Clara Lago. Definitely recommend, but in case you want to see the absolute finest (in my humble opinion, of course) apocalypse movie from Spain, seek out the criminally underrated and obscure "Before the Fall" ("Tres Días")

¨The end is closer than you can imagine.¨Fin (The End) is a Spanish film that was officially selected for the Toronto International Film Festival last year. It's a thriller that really never thrilled me and I was highly disappointed with this film because despite having an unknown director, Jorge Torregrossa (mostly known in Spain for directing TV series), the screenplay was adapted by two well known Spanish writers, Sergio Sanchez (The Orphanage) and Jorge Guerricaechevarria (Cell 211), who have written some great screenplays. It was not the case with The End because one of the weakest aspects about this film for me was the script which never managed to create likable characters or believable situations. If you are going to make a thriller you better back it up with a decent story, but here they never explain the strange developments. This could have worked perhaps as a TV series, but in a 90 minute movie we never got to care for any of the characters and what we really wanted to know never was explained. The End is one of those films that tries to be all philosophical but never ends up saying anything at all. It doesn't reward the viewer for their patience. The film was adapted from David Monteagudo's novel which I have never read and really don't want to after watching this. I imagine it never explains any of the strange events occurring either. There are about nine actors in the entire film and we never really care for any of them. The only positive thing I can say about this movie is that it was nicely shot thanks to the beautiful landscape chosen as the setting for the story. The plot is pretty simple; a group of friends decide to reunite after 20 years in a beautiful mountain cabin. This group of friends seem to have been really tight, but something happened in their past that has separated them and continues to haunt them. Sara (Carmen Ruiz) is the one who decided to reunite the group for the weekend after calling each one of them. Sergio (Miguel Fernandez) decides to go with his apparent girlfriend Eva (Clara Lago), while Maribel (Maribel Verdu) goes with her husband Rafa (Antonio Garrido). Maribel and Sergio had a relationship in the past, but haven't seen each other since the episode 20 years ago. Felix (Daniel Grao), the Casanova of the group, is dating Cova (Blanca Romero). Everything seems to be just fine as the group is laughing together as they camp outside, but Sara is worried that their friend known as the prophet (Eugenio Mira) hasn't showed up. The reason she is so worried is because he was the one that convinced her to call everyone because he wanted to see them. Apparently the prophet was the reason why the group broke up in the first place after he suffered a severe seizure and began prophesying about the end of the world. He was institutionalized, but Sara said he was recovering very well and that is why she insisted on everyone meeting again. Around midnight a strange incident involving a thundering noise and lightning takes place, which leaves the place without lights or communication. The vehicles don't work either as apparently some strange magnetism has affected them. All of a sudden some of them begin to vanish and no one knows what is going on.The plot seems pretty interesting but believe me the film isn't. The director never takes time to explain the strange events, and the back stories of each character are never explained clearly. The reason why the group disintegrated 20 years ago is really poorly developed and doesn't make much sense really. I was really disappointed with this and expected more considering the plot seemed pretty inventive. This is just another failed attempt at a thriller which really never has any thrills. The cast in this film doesn't stand out either. The only well known actress here is Maribel Verdu, but she doesn't play an important role. The entire mystery and eeriness of the film is never explained at all which made me feel like everything was a complete waste of time. We see the events unfolding before our eyes, but we are never explained why these things are occurring. The End just felt pointless for me and I wouldn't recommend this film.