This would be okay if the movie didn't keep its cards smothered to its chest. How It Ends is exceedingly vague, from the moment it opens on Sam and Will's sonogram. It survives on an interesting premise — basically a latte and a prayer. The movie, written by Brooks McClaren and directed by David M. Rosenthal, follows Will and his father-in-law Tom (Forest Whittaker) as they travel across the country in the middle of imploding chaos. (The script landed on the Black List , a curated list of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays, in 2010.) I wish I could get specific about the chaos, but the movie won't allow it. The first sign of danger occurs when Sam is on the phone with Will. He hears explosions and Sam, away in Seattle, says, "Something's happening." Moments later, the power goes out across the country. Will's flight home to Seattle is cancelled. Will has no choice but to join his surly father-in-law in a cross-country journey to Seattle.