Written and directed by Rob Petit, based on Robert Macfarlane’s bestseller, a cinematic voyage beneath the surface of the earth. Narrated by Sandra Hüller.
It’s strange to think how much of exploration tends to be focused on things beyond our reach, rather than what’s below our own feet. Wherein comes Rob Petit who’s ready to explore exactly what you can find in the Underland and the first thing you’re hit with is a strikingly strong aesthetic. The visual quality of this documentary cannot be denied, the level of detail and the sharpness to the cinematography from Ruben Woodin Dechamps (who also worked on the excellent documentary The Reason I Jump), not to mention the artistic touches, it’s outstanding from beginning to end. Especially when it’s paired with such strong editing (by David G. Hill) and score (Hannah Peel) work. They’re all working so succinctly to enhance the depth and expansiveness to the film.
Petit quickly builds an engaging presence to Underland, one which is at its strongest when following a team exploring the sacred Mayan caves in the Yucatán. They not only appreciate the grand beauty of the caves but are there to capture the ancient art left behind. It engages with themes of heritage, culture and respect, they consider how it would have felt to be in those caves so many years ago without the technology they’re using. It’s the most compelling of the film’s three different perspectives and arguably you could have followed only them for the entire runtime as they have so much to offer.
Following that would be the exploration of the storm drain system in Las Vegas, tapping into this unusual group with a passion for finding hidden utopias. It captures a wonderful enthusiasm, even if the environments wouldn’t inspire that in everyone. Whereas looking at the dark matter research facility feels somewhat lethargic. You can see the intention to bring through a scientific element of understanding our world, but it doesn’t have that same energy and passion.
Underland is an incredibly well made documentary with stunning visuals and explores a lesser appreciated world with curiosity and respect. Not all of the narrative elements are as captivating as others, but they all definitely benefit being topped by the absorbing tones of Sandra Hüller’s narration. Even if you don’t connect strongly with the content, it would hard not to be drawn in by the sharpness and detail of the aesthetic.
FilmCarnage.com 