If you like films that are foreboding, a little weird and enigmatic, you’ll enjoy the ride that Undergods takes you on.
In a dystopian, sparsely populated Europe – cold, dull and gray – two guys drive around in a truck, apparently collecting bodies the way a homeless person might collect cans for recycling. But these two are just one set of characters that we will meet in this tight 90 minute film that is big on atmosphere, including it’s prominent soundtrack, pulsating 70s prog-rock type synths that add to the uncertain vibe.
Another set of characters, a husband and wife in an otherwise empty high-rise apartment building, are paid a visit by a man claiming to be their neighbor on the 11th floor who has locked himself out. What happens in the 48 hours after that is cruel and a little shocking.
Same with a man whose wife turns on him after the former husband she thought was dead shows back up after 15 years. He returns catatonic and with his head shaven. Where has he been? What happened? The poor man who thought this was his wife and his house has an epic meltdown at a party and we are curious to see where this thread will go. It culminates in a shockingly (that word again) violent denouement.
There are other tales woven within that, in some ways, make the movie feel like a set of mini-anthologies.
Where are we? When is this? What will happen next?
The fact that those questions roll around in your head is one of the reasons to recommend Undergods. That said, anyone expecting a conventional narrative and a tidy conclusion will probably decide this isn’t their thing – but not until after it is over.
Undergods| 2 ½ out of 4 stars |Written and Directed by Chino Moya| In English (United Kingdom) |Reviewed by Kyle Osborne
In theatres and On-Demand through all major streaming services
