Underground (1995) | Film Review
The director of Underground (1995), Emir Kusturica, has produced a chaotic picture that tells a history of Yugoslavia from the beginning of the Second World War until the 1990s, with unusual characters and plot twists that many viewers (including myself) would sometimes consider weird.
The most impressive quality of Underground is the film’s energy. At almost three hours, the film maintains a fast pace, always keeping the viewer engaged in the story. Most of the shots are no longer than 6 seconds, and they get even shorter as the scenes become more eventful. Frequent cuts allow the director to keep the film’s pacing fast and build tension in the scenes. The pacing is what makes this film so unique and memorable. I enjoyed that bizarreness of Underground, although, for me, the film at times was too fast, chaotic, and action-packed.
Another aspect that makes the film a bit messy for me is the constant alternating between humor and seriousness. Take, for instance, one of the most memorable plot-points of the film — the monkey taking over a tank. Seems a little absurd, right? However, moments like this make Underground such a unique cinematic experience.
I have never seen anything like this before. The film might seem silly at times, but if you really dive deep into the experience and contemplate, Underground is an intelligent and thought-provoking picture that touches on many topics such as patriotism, friendship, and family. Overall, I liked this movie, even though usually I prefer much slower films. Underground gave me a decent blast of energy, and it will not leave my thoughts for a long time.
