Endgame: The Review
As you might have guessed from the cover art on the DVD Endgame, the latest from director Jett Blakk and Dirty Bird Pictures, we had the opportunity (and the honor) to preview the movie and present a "cover blurb". This privilege was a challenge for us because the film deserves much more than catchy one-word exclamations and it was hard to boil down our praise into a one-liner. That you know that we liked the movie isn't enough. Yes, this is the first time that Chad Hunt bottoms on film and it's a good selling point and a hook---but it's window dressing on a fine film too. That's why we're taking this opportunity to be much more verbose in our praise. We CAN summarize our feelings about Endgame in a paragraph but even that doesn't do it justice.
Essentially, Endgame is a beautifully shot, well-acted, haunting psycho-sexual road trip flick featuring fascinatingly enigmatic and sexy characters. Film lovers and porn lovers will both get something out of this well-scripted effort full of cinematic homages and some authentically powerful sex scenes that include some surprising twists. This is one story-driven adult video where you'll never be tempted to use the fast-forward button---you'll want to see this tale of self-discovery play out to its poignant conclusion.
If you're familiar with the works of Jett Blakk, you know that he incorporates a fairly complex story into his adult movies and it would be inappropriate to recap the plot of Endgame without spoiling the little surprises that you'll find along the way. Here's what we can tell you. Chad Hunt is a mysterious stranger and drifter who comes into the comes into the life of an unhappy corporate drone played by Trevor Knight and the two embark on an uneasy trip up the California coast. As they make their way along the coast another unidentified figure follows them, keeping a distance and remaining anonymous. The two travelers become friends and have several sexual encounters with guys along the way until the real purpose of this journey and the mystery figure are revealed.
Because the plot is so important to Endgame, you might expect the sex scenes to be "filler" but Jett Blakk has chosen to make them key elements that drive the story forward. They are sex scenes with consequences and help you understand the characters. At the same time they take place on location which adds to their realism. Visually they have a generous amount of close-ups which aren't used gratuitously, nor do they look "clinical".
At work Trevor Knight has a disagreeably unpleasant boss played by Tyler Saint, who manages to sneak in some sexual downtime in the stairwell with underling Scott Campbell. It's a surprisingly verbal encounter and will probably open a few eyes since it features Tyler Saint bottoming which is a real rarity. This sets up Trevor's departure on his trip with Chad Hunt.
At a rest stop bathroom Trevor Knight is hit on by a state trooper (played by Kyle Pierce) who also threatens arrest ---until Chad Hunt comes to the rescue. He winds up teaching the trooper a lesson in authority while Trevor looks on.
Later at a motel room Trevor has a fling with one of the staff played by James Hamilton (aka James Biehn). Trevor feels pretty content in the afterglow of the sex until he finds out it was a "fix up" perpetrated by Chad Hunt. This causes an obvious rift which is healed in the resolution of the final sex scene which has been highly publicized but that you will still find surprising.
In this pivotal scene Chad Hunt bottoms but it's a full-out gangbang carried out by Nash Lawler, Cort Donovan and Phenix Saint. It's a very hot scene but it does carry with it a semi-disturbing theme of gang rape. Interestingly it's a good use of contrasts since the harsh cruelty of the forced sex takes place in an dreamy, exotic seaside grotto. Trevor Knight comes to the rescue and literally carries Chad Hunt off to the point where the final mystery is revealed.
Jett Blakk wouldn't have been able to carry all this mysterious moodiness, interesting plot twists, and sex scenes successfully without the performances of the actors. The secondary actors do their parts convincingly and emote while they recite their lines but the major focus is on the two main characters Garvy and Tyler played by the two stars Chad Hunt & Trevor Knight. So obviously, the burden falls on these two to carry it off. Trevor Knight handles the role well as he has to go from acting put upon to letting down his guard and becoming more sensitive to events as they unfold. Not to take anything away from Knight, but this is Chad Hunt's movie---he puts in a very restrained and subtle performance as the enigmatic character Garvy. In many ways it's a challenging role because Hunt has to be mysterious and somewhat irritating but intriguing enough to have likability. Previously in films, Chad Hunt had always seemed a little cocky and not so likable --at least that's the persona he's put out there. Maybe because Endgame is supposedly his last film and a pivotal sex role that he wanted to make this memorable.
Ultimately the star of Endgame is the person that you won't see onscreen---Jett Blakk. As the writer, director, and videographer his talent IS up on the screen. This isn't an epic movie by any means or overly ambitious but you can't watch it without feeling that it's a personal film. Yes, it has a somber touch but it doesn't get maudlin even when it gets poignant and that is always a fine line to tread. And any porn movie that touches you even slightly while it's turning you on has a lot going for it.
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