"Underground" is an American live action short film from 2003, so this one's already 15 years old now. It runs for 11 minutes and that includes a solid deal of closing credits too already. For writers and directors Kristen Dehnert and Aimee Lagos, it is still among their most known career efforts, especially for the former. Lagos has worked on a few full feature films since then that also got a great deal of recognition. But we will perhaps talk about these later. As for this one here, you can say it's a 1-woman show or a 3-man show as we see a women in the subway, who may or may not be followed by two men, a Black and a muslim. What is on their minds? What is on her mind. If you know the ending like I did, then this takes away a great deal of appeal and surprise of course, but still you will find new interesting things on rewatch too like the scenes with the old man and his leaflets down there in the underground. But it is definitely a film you need to have seen once. Nice to see it got some awards recognition and content-wise I believe it is still relevant 1.5 decades later. As much as it was back then not too long after 911. I think that the atmospheric touch, the tone, the slightly claustrophobic setting, the bleakness of it all and finally the big events at the very end turn this into one of 2003's finest short films. The acting is good too and it's all about non-talking and the three are doing a very fine job. Nice to see this one got some awards recognition at least, even not at the Oscars. Go check it out as soon as you can.
3 Reviews
Brilliant short... you have to watch it!
ocube19 August 2013
Just stumbled on 'Underground' and must say, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by this fine short! I can't say too much as I don't want to give it away, it has been a while I've seen a short film that wasn't just a good watch but one that gets you to think. It is well paced, has a good plot and delivers an arresting story
Brilliantly shot with 3 main characters keeping you guessing the whole time. This is one you don't want to know much about before you watch it... and the last few shots after the climax nothing short of genius! Underground proves the point - its all about the story. I am so surprised I only just seen it as its been out for a while.
Brilliantly shot with 3 main characters keeping you guessing the whole time. This is one you don't want to know much about before you watch it... and the last few shots after the climax nothing short of genius! Underground proves the point - its all about the story. I am so surprised I only just seen it as its been out for a while.
AWESOME Short Film... Try to See It BEFORE You Hear Too Much About It
TimeNTide23 August 2008
BUT IT'S OK TO READ THIS... NO SPOILERS HERE...
I can't believe I'm the first to comment on this terrific little short film. I've seen it on IFC a couple of times, and it has quickly become one of my favorite short films of all time.
The film starts with a white woman riding the subway system in a major city. She slowly begins to suspect that two men (one black and one middle eastern looking) are stalking her, and this fear grows as they keep appearing on the same subway cars as her. She attempts to lose them in the subway system and... hey... I said I'm not telling.
This short has virtually no dialogue by the main characters, but you won't be bored. The atmosphere is tense and keeps building, assisted by some appropriately moody music. The cinematography is also excellent, which is quite an accomplishment considering that most of it was shot in an underground subway system. Yet, the best of this wonderful short is the ending which has an important message for our modern world.
Awesome short film... both the ride and the destination (yes, those are puns).
I can't believe I'm the first to comment on this terrific little short film. I've seen it on IFC a couple of times, and it has quickly become one of my favorite short films of all time.
The film starts with a white woman riding the subway system in a major city. She slowly begins to suspect that two men (one black and one middle eastern looking) are stalking her, and this fear grows as they keep appearing on the same subway cars as her. She attempts to lose them in the subway system and... hey... I said I'm not telling.
This short has virtually no dialogue by the main characters, but you won't be bored. The atmosphere is tense and keeps building, assisted by some appropriately moody music. The cinematography is also excellent, which is quite an accomplishment considering that most of it was shot in an underground subway system. Yet, the best of this wonderful short is the ending which has an important message for our modern world.
Awesome short film... both the ride and the destination (yes, those are puns).
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