[Movie] Film Review: Underground - Absurd, Bizarre, Crazy, Just Like the War

I'm back again at the contest created by @wiseagent to write a movie review for Scrobble.life. This time I chose a film that for a long time I have considered my favorite, then one of my favorites, and even after plenty of relativizing it's still an excellent movie. It is fast paced, entertaining, but it also takes you by surprise, shocks you in various ways, and in the end turns out to be quite serious. Most importantly, it is so brim-full of symbolism, that you're bound to find new subliminal messages every time you watch it.

Once There Was A Country Called Yugoslavia

The movie is Underground from 1995, directed by Emir Kusturica. It is set in Yugoslavia, starting out during the German invasion in World War II. The protagonists are a pair of crooks. Small timers, but high rollers. Wannabe gangsters. But they are also strong patriots and convinced communists, so when the Germans invade their country they are happy to organize resistance.

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Balkan Party Throughout

If you've seen Black Cat White Cat by the same director, you may recall the silly humor, the exuberant liveliness, and most of all the fast-paced brass band playing Balkan music throughout the entire film. Well, that is exactly what Underground feels like, especially in the beginning.

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We Accepted Peter into the Party - You Mean the Brothel?

Drinking, fighting, smashing the glasses on the floor, throwing money around, letting all your emotions fly like there's no tomorrow. That's the general feel of the film, and it has a contagious effect on the viewer. Sure, the characters may be chaotic and even inconsiderate. But they are fighting Nazis, after all.

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We're All Crazy, We Just Haven't Been Diagnosed Yet.

Forced into the underground means operating outside the law, just as much as hiding in cellars. However, both interpretations also imply being in the dark, quite literally, with no daylight, as well as figuratively, meaning having limited access to information. And those who never leave the underground, over extended periods,... well, you can imagine!

I Don't Know if I'm Afraid of God. Do You?

Eventually lies and deceit take over, especially since one of the two main guys keeps going above ground, while the other one remains below. And sure, they also both fancy the same girl. Plus there is politics involved. But the pattern has to be kept up because there are more important things. The war must be won! (Which war was it again?)

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Finally, We're Going to End the War!

Before you know it, the whole country is falling apart. Quite literally. You can see various characters emerging from, or disappearing into the underground. And the network down there is more extensive that you'd think! But all things must come to an end, and just like it was with Yugoslavia, the ending isn't pretty. However, the director would not leave us without reconciliation, so there is a party at the end, of course with the brass band playing.

Rating: 100/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/movies.