DIRECTOR Rafael Eisenman WRITER Charles Morris Jr. STARS Sofia Pernas; Adrian R’Mante; Jeff D’Agostino DVD Now
With an introduction that shows soldiers battling and failing to escape mutants in a bunker, then cutting to a group of friends at a rave, Underground at least displays its unoriginal intentions very effectively. Couple this with a determination to underline its characters as unlikeable from the very off, the scene is very much set, and it will be no surprise to learn that there is little to entertain here.
Worthy of praise is the mutants’ make-up, attention to detail ensuring that no two are exactly the same. Had the film attempted some more depth — unfortunately an evil German doctor and his genetic splicing for US Special Forces isn’t quite enough to elevate, so cartoonish his role — this could have created the impression of perhaps a race of these beings existing, rather than just a choice few that are relatively easy to escape/control; a far more terrifying concept. Some gore moments may also please those inclined, however these do not complement the overall theme here, which is that of stalk and chase.
It almost goes without saying that dreadful acting and a basic, sweary script is the order of the day here. The main issue with Underground however is poor use of light, that can at times make the film difficult to follow. Whilst the set piece obviously requires darkness, some more intelligent use of a reflector would easily have solved the problem, to make a poor film more accessible. As such, the temptation to fast-forward through to a cliched climax is tough to resist.
