Two friends travel deep into the desert to find a religious cult and answers about their past in Zeshaan Younus’ sci-fi feature, The Buildout. Something is happening—something spiritual and somewhat esoteric. Deep in the California desert, our tale centers around a strange tent pulsing with unexplainable energy, a religious cult determined to build a divine utopia.
Among them, Cleric Kanner (Natasha Halevi) is situated at Basecamp, while Clerics Barrow (Michael Sung-Ho) and Webb conduct surveys to ensure their survival in the harsh environment. With food and fuel carefully rationed and the nearest civilization far away, the cult members are convinced they have found their spiritual Paradise. However, as the days progress, visions begin to take hold, and reality starts to blur.
Meanwhile, best friends Dylan (Hannah Alline) and Cameron (Jenna Kanell) make their way to the church’s settlement. They drive as far as the road will take them and then transfer to a motorbike for the long, offroad journey to Basecamp. Dylan, seeking peace and meaning after years of personal addiction, is drawn to the community, while Cameron, ever the skeptic, is there to support her friend. Cameron and Dylan are bound together by Cameron’s deceased sister, Dakota, who was also Dylan’s best friend.
While surveying the landscape, Cleric Barrow becomes stranded in the desert with an ominous package in the back of his truck. When the truck becomes inoperable, he is stuck in the middle of nowhere. Quickly, his mind is consumed by hallucinations and visions of divine messages that begin to mirror those of Cleric Kanner.
The Buildout focuses on Cameron and Dylan’s relationship. Cameron’s sister, Dakota, was the glue that held their lives together for both. For Cameron, Dakota was the only person in her life who made her feel loved and wanted. Dakota was the force that kept Dylan from truly spiraling into addiction.
“Dylan found refuge in a church that offered hope and a gateway to Paradise in the middle of the desert.”
When Dakota passed, their support collapsed. Dylan found refuge in a church that offered hope and a gateway to Paradise in the middle of the desert. Cameron wanted to do what her sister would do: accompany Dylan on her dangerous journey out of safety and maybe talk her out of this crazy plan.
The leads, Jenna Kanell and Hannah Alline gave fantastic performances. The two have great friend chemistry that comes off throughout the film. Both characters have conflicting desires throughout the film. Alline as Dylan gives an overtly emotional performance, while Kanell as Cameron holds it all in—tick, tick, tick.
The backdrop of The Buildout is this cult and its divine destiny to follow and find God in the most unlikely and dangerous location. The grounded part of the story is about a friend watching another friend make what may be the worst choice in their life. Then again, is Dylan joining a cult, or has she truly found something real? Are the visions real…or the desert heat?
I love that The Buildout clearly displays what low-budget indie films can do. It boasts a very small cast and is set in the California desert to avoid unnecessary permits and fees. Zeshaan Younus’ story is simple and straightforward but very much a sci-fi tale that surrounds the struggles of being human with a religious cult background of spirituality.
The Buildout is a haunting journey into faith, friendship, and the fine line between devotion and delusion. With gripping performances and an eerie desert atmosphere, Zeshaan Younus delivers a slow-burn sci-fi that lingers in the mind like a half-remembered dream. Whether you see it as a cautionary tale or a spiritual awakening, one thing is certain—once you’re in, there’s no turning back.
"…A haunting journey into faith, friendship, and the fine line between devotion and delusion."
