Cutterhead

Despair. Madness. Fear. Panic.

These are the feelings that would surface if I were in a similar situation. This story is the kind of thing you read about in the news when workers become trapped underground, with their workplace becoming their tomb. I ask myself: how horrible can the situation become for these people? The answer: pretty damn horrible.

Saw this at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2019 (BIFFF for intimates). It is not a Horror or Thriller in the standard sense: no squeaking doors, no jump scares, no suddenly appearing ghosts, none of those clichés. Its tense may be felt nevertheless. We are constantly unsure how this story will end, given the deadly dangers awaiting the threesome we follow underground when disaster strikes.

Nice view on building operations underground, in this case construction works for the Copenhagen Metro. The setup looks like an organized chaos, but that is only the first impression and very unjust. These people know what they do, even when things go terribly wrong. And if all else fails, they can also count on salvage procedures and rescue teams. Panic and hasty decisions are out of the question, as theses are mostly counter productive.

Rie, our resident reporter, however, detests waiting for a rescue team. She wants action, even when it is risky, or when it violates regulations and safety procedures. She also goes against technical knowledge her fellow victims have, just wanting to do "something". She even lies about wanting to pee and needing some privacy, when in fact she prepares herself (out of sight) for an action the others would frown upon had they known her intentions.

Being there for PR purposes only, Rie's presence as a guest may be a nuisance, but she is a perfect vehicle for telling the story and following its developments from nearby. It gives us ample chance to understand why some things are done the way they are done in a working environment that we seldom get to see. As such, the screenplay is a success and seems the best (even the only??) way to sustain the story for one and a half hour, without risking to bore us. It clearly showcases the differences between people in Denmark, with Rie as piece de resistance in this movie, and the underground workers of all sorts of nationalities, who are there as the work pays very well (relative in their own country) and take the disadvantages (far away from family, problems with the language, risky and dirty working conditions) in addition and as inevitable.

Cutterhead (2018)

An industrial accident occurs underground and people are trapped. The fear of death and the fight for survival are realistically based and not portrayed in an over the top fashion, like in many disaster movies. This is probably what would happen in real life. If you are looking for spectacle, seek out any recent catastrophe movie by Dwayne Johnson. This is more low key and in some ways uneventful, yet will still manage to hold your attention throughout. The filming in real locals gives the film a sense of realism and later, dread. 8 out of 10 stars.

The story is of a lady photographer trapped in an accident at underground metro construction and trying hard to survive till last moment from darkness and want of oxygen. Starting is good but middle and last part is boring. No remarkable climax. Also selection of leading lady is totally wrong. She does not have any charming looks rather sometime we don't want to see her. Overall movie seems a documentary rather than a thriller. However filming the movie is in very realistic way. You can feel lack of oxygen in every moment watching you all time. Although it is different and real experience, it is not much recommended because it does not have enough interesting points, then you feel most of time boring. So it is not much recommended.

When I first started watching this the photography quality and overall impression was one of "oh no this looks like a BBC docudrama" but my fears were soon quashed as it turns out this is a rather unique and really quite interesting adventure into the realms of human frailty and if you suffer from fear of small spaces I would issue a warning on this film as it presents quite a realistic claustrophobic atmosphere especially in the closing 30 minutes.

It is not a crash, bang, wallop movie with oodles of CGI and action and 5 star actors but it is more of a study of human frailty when confronted by disaster and it does it in quite a more honest way than most movies have in the past and is down and dirty with no frills or spills. I fear most people will find it tedious but give it a chance and watch it to the end and you might just be surprised.