Film Review - Undergods (2020)

First thing I immediately noticed during opening credits was the synth-like music, a mix of Giorgio Moroder and Vangelis.

This odd, pulsating original score composed by Wojciech Golczewski, successfully adds to an ambitious, complicated aura delivered by dark fantasy, Undergods.

This journey through a seemingly futuristic shambles of Europe in decline within dystopian ruin follows a vaguely linked series of characters, some well down on their luck, others in the mix of success, or like mates K and Z, just going through the motions of a mundane existence collecting bodies from streets within a fallen city.

Whilst looking for ‘meat’ they recount stories to each other, serving as a diluted strand to the anthology like tales we experience as plot.

A father and daughter scenario are a highlight, the latter played with sentiment by, Tanya Reynolds. Last seen in, Emma (2020) her bit part here as Maria, is one of the most impressive and most normal.

More fragments to the suggested alternate universe, include a forceful neighbour who swindles his way into the life of an unhappy couple leading to further bizzarro circumstances.

By the time we get to a ‘purposely’ awkward, karaoke birthday party rendition of My Way, in unison, I’d pretty much checked out.

Besides the music, Undergods, mostly held my attention with solid VFX background visuals and solid cinematography, especially some of the noir-like sets; however little understanding of what is going on results in confusion, sadly not the good ‘David Lynch’ film-disorientation kind.

Director, Chino Moya, definitely succeeds in some areas of big strange, compelling ideas whilst also, obviously a fan of one of the greatest once banned horror movies of all time, Xtro (1982) this is worth watching for the curious.