Underland Film Review: A Poetic Dive into Earth's Hidden Spaces

AI Summary

The documentary film Underland, based on Robert Macfarlane's book, explores the Earth's underground spaces and their significance to human existence and the Anthropocene.

Rob Petit's documentary Underland, inspired by Robert Macfarlane's bestselling book, delves into the mysterious world beneath the Earth's surface. The film features Mexican archaeologist Fátima Tec Pool exploring cenotes on the Yucatan peninsula, theoretical physicist Mariangela Lisanti studying dark matter in an ultra-clean facility in Canada, and urban explorer Bradley Garrett navigating storm-drain tunnels in Las Vegas.

The documentary intertwines these experiences with Sandra Hüller reading poetic prose about the 'nether' in a faintly Americanised accent. While the film raises intriguing ideas, it sometimes struggles to reconcile natural underground spaces with human-made ones. The most striking scenes showcase Lisanti's work searching for dark matter, highlighting the vastness of deep time and the potentially fruitless pursuit of scientific discovery.

The film is set to release in UK and Irish cinemas on 27 March, offering viewers a chance to explore the hidden world beneath their feet.