Underground

As someone who was around when the whole rave and clubbing scene was happening in the UK, its odd that I somehow missed this at the time. While sometimes its an oversight and you can find a hidden gem, most of the time its because some things sink without trace because they simply aren't any good. This is definitely in the latter category.

The story centres around Rat, a young and very unsympathetic drug dealer who sells drugs to a girl who ends up hospitalised or worse. He spend the film walking around being annoying and breathing through his mouth. The rave promoters where the girl fell ill are also dealers, so they set out to find Rat. The problem with this movie is because nobody in the film is likable, you really don't care what happens to any of them. The only reasons anyone talks these films up is generally because they will have a few songs which people like, or because of the subject matter. Because they aren't good films. While most of the acting is passable at best, it really falls apart during the action or violence scenes. Which somehow look unbelievable even though its something as simply as someone being punched or kicked. The ending is both entirely unbelievable and laughable. Due to the acting and the obvious redemption angle its fishing for, which only works with sympathetic characters. Its a stark reminder that not everything in the 90's was great, even if it has a dance music soundtrack. One to avoid, or regret if you actually watch it.

This film should have been the film of the year. Made for a ridiculously low budget, it tells the story of a young drug dealer named Rat who deals a bad E to a girl at a rave and is then pursued by the rave organiser who objects to Rat dealing on his patch. Told over the course of one night, Rat can find no one to help him find shelter and is turned away by friends and family, suffering one betrayal after another. A cast of unknowns (apart from Ian Drury) are superb and it is a crime that Paul Spurrier is not a major league director by now. I cannot rate this movie highly enough and I urge anyone with an interest in youth culture and great movie making to see it. 10 out of 10.

One of the worst films I've ever had the displeasure of sitting through.

(I say through, I'm calling time on it less that 45 mins in)

Ok so it's low budget, but that's no excuse for the diabolical script, the comically bad acting, forgettable soundtrack and laughable story.

For films that realistically capture the essence of 90's clubbing, head for Wiz's incredible promo for Flowered Up's 'Weekender', the BBC2 film Loved Up, or even the rave episode of Morse.

Non of them were done on a big budget but all captured the highs and lows of the rave era with pinpoint accuracy.

This film is a joke, look elsewhere.

London, England in the 1990s is not just a tourist destination for nice, domestic folk; London is a city of millions renowned & infamous for its wild parties, drug scene, & all-night raves. London can be a very dangerous place.

"Underground" centers on 15-year-old Rat (Robert), played by Billy Smith, a cute lad who rides his bicycle around the metropolis yet deals Ecstasy & Cocaine to a growing group of customers. Rat's personal drug of choice is marijuana. He's worn out his welcome with his mother, who has essentially let him "fly the coop." So he's staying with his sister, & trying her patience also.

The usual setting in this very good film is the plethora of nightly raves, attended by hundreds & hundreds of youths dancing up a sweat to loud music, swallowing drugs periodically, and shedding some of their clothes as the heat rises.

And then there are the Rave organizers, basically London gangsters who dole out drugs to the youths, for a price, of course.

Into these raves Rat insinuates himself, selling Ecstasy & Cocaine to stoned teenagers; being heterosexual, Rat grows fond of a girl named Skye, played by Zoe Smale.

Rat's selling his wares right under the noses of the gangsters/organizers! To say this is dangerous is the understatement of the century.

When 4 of the organizers find out Rat is dealing within their territory, they "pay a little visit" to Rat's sister's apartment, which they trash completely. Now Rat has no place to stay!

He moves in with a bigger-time drug dealer, whose apartment is strewn with drug addicts in their 30s & 40s. To say that a cute, 15-year-old lad is vulnerable amongst these folk is, perhaps, stating what is painfully obvious. And sure enough, one man feeds Rat drugs he's not accustomed to taking, smiles at him seductively, and urges, "You should try everything!"

Filmmaker Paul Spurrier wisely chooses grainy film-stock for some of the night scenes, which fits in perfectly with London's gritty, harsh nightlife.

Amidst all the drugs & gritty realism, Mr. Spurrier inserts an oasis of poignant Beauty. (An epiphany, really.) Rat & Skye - in an moment of impulse - go skinny-dipping in the water basin of a night-fountain & cavort in the water. The water glosses their Beautiful bodies, and this reviewer loved this scene! You see, the choice when choosing what to view & what not to view is stark & simple: On the one hand, you have God's creative power, which reaches its fullest expression in the design of the human body - the way the neck cranes; the rippling of the abdomen muscles; the Gracefulness, poise & functionality of the genitalia; the musculature of the buttocks; the digital specificity of the toes & fingers; the core strength of the torso & thighs; and the curve of the lips in a smile, which spreads Happiness! On the other hand, you can choose to censor out the Beauty of nudity & present only actors in clothes.

Actors Billy Smith & Zoe Smale bravely bare their entire bodies - & filmmaker Paul Spurrier handles the scene perfectly, letting it unfold Naturally, censoring NOTHING out! It's as if Rat & Skye are stand-ins for Adam & Eve, BEFORE the Fall - BEFORE Paradise collapsed in upon itself. But this Edenic moment is very brief.

The gangsters are after Rat, & they're aiming for payback! Who will live? Who will die, if anyone? You'll have to watch the movie for yourself to find out.

Needless to say, if a little revealing nudity frightens or upsets you, skip "Underground"!

A great film! 8 out of 10 stars!

The good: Great story, very real reflection of London drugs scene and how it's often driven by the 'underclass' on shabby council estates. For such a low budget feature, the camerawork is often compelling, and the relentless hip-hop rave soundtrack clearly reflects the subject matter.

The bad: Sometimes the acting leaves something to be desired. There's a quite unnecessary element of sleaze in one lengthy scene, and in that scene there is a quite appallingly acted and written scenario involving the guy with white hair/beard and glasses.

All in all it's definitely worth watching provided that the subject matter doesn't turn you off.