The Superdeep

Yes, The Superdeep is no masterpiece but the rather low rating has something to do with the fact that this is a Russian movie (at least my guess). What we get is some nice story with a solid production and acting, and some fine visuals here and there spiced up with a little hunch of horror. Of course, we all know too well the ingredients the story of The Superdeep is cooked up: The Thing and Alien may be mentioned here.

There are some logical issues (why the members of the expedition don't wear the full protection suits and gears all the time in the hot zone for example just can be explained by a mystic of higher rank) but I know a lot of movies published by Hollywoods greatest companies, or Netflix, Marvel and whoever, that got far far bigger holes in the plot - and better ratings. Anyway, if you like this kind of movies The Superdeep will deliver a nice snack. Solid to good.

This film is similar to the american one called The thing and the effects are like that movie as well. The plot is different but interesting and keeps the spectator compenetrated in the movie. The cast is pretty all unknown, some good acting and some not and the ambience is well made. If you love science fiction as I do, then watch it.

Apparently this was made for $4 million which whilst is a heck of an achievement did hinder it somewhat. The basis for the story is good and lends itself a lot to 'The Thing' in many respects but could have been fleshed out a little more. Probably the biggest grievance I had is the editing, it really needed a lot more work & professionalism in places as one scene would jump to another and you'd be left confused as to what had actually happened. Minor niggles would be the subtitling (I don't speak Russian) which lost a little in translation, the lighting in some scenes which was just too dark and some plot elements (a trained scientist walking unprotected into a room which is clearly a biological hazard?) we're just dumb. With a bit more time and money it would have earned a 7 out of 10 from me.

The movie does take its sweet time - if you excuse the pun. But once it gets going ... well it is what you could hope for, for a low budget horror movie. Although I'm not even sure how low budget this was. But I think it is safe to assume it wasn't anywhere near any Hollywood horror movie blockbuster money they had to their disposal - not just because this is Russian.

So if you got through the slow first part of the movie, that sets up the rest of it ... congratulations! You have to have a love for horror and creature features to be honest - but why else would you be here if that wasn't true?

I've always generally liked Russian SF both in book and movie form. Tarkovsky's Stalker and of course Solaris come to mind. Even the recent Sputnik was interesting though flawed but The Superdeep got me wanting to jump into the film and slap around a few characters more than once.

It's that kind of bad slasher movie writing where characters who should know better constantly do things that make no sense whatsoever and in this case they're very dramatic about it in that stoic Russian manner.

The sets were great, the special make up effects were very good. It's worth watching but you might want to consider a tranquilizer.

And btw, the Kola borehole is about 8 inches in diameter. It's literally a smallish hole drilled into the earth.