[7.50/10] The Tunnel (2011)

The Tunnel (2011)

Full review: This ambitious Australian project, called "The Tunnel" is the probably first ever movie in cinematic history, that was 100% legally released through BitTorrent, and of course for free. Another interesting fact is, that you can buy one (or more) frame from the movie, only for $1 AUD. So, go visit the official website, buy a frame for yourself, download the movie, and watch it! Shot in a moc-doc style, "The Tunnel" revolves around a News crew, who get more than they bargain for, when they head into the catacombs under Sydney, Australia, to investigate a government cover-up. In the same fashion as "The Blair Witch Project", "The Tunnel" leaves almost everything to imagination, as it doesn't use buckets of gore, creepy images or cheap scares to frighten us, but instead, it relies on the unpredictability and the mystery behind the story, and mostly, the fear of the unknown. On one hand, this is a clever strategy, as you know that, 'scary' is what you CAN'T see, but on the other hand, it's rather disappointing, since the director does not provide us with a single decent shot of the mysterious creature throughout the entire film. There's only one shot that lasts for about a second, and from what we can see, the creature is not nearly as frightening as Niña Medeiros from "[Rec]", for instance. Despite that, and the fact that the climax is almost non-existent, "The Tunnel" is still a constantly-tense and thoroughly effective moc-doc, filled with thrills, chills, many jump-of-your-seat-moments, eerie sound effects and ominous visuals. The underground settings are as atmospheric as they're appropriate - the abandoned tunnels beneath Sydney are dark, creepy and pretty claustrophobic, and knowing that there's no way out, will surely make you feel uncomfortable. Carlo Ledesma's direction is taut, solid and competent, featuring great angles and tons of shaky, yet well-handled camera movements, accompanied with crisp editing. Another strength of the film is the great acting by the largely unknown Australian cast. Bel Delia gives a genuine and very believable performance as the bold and brave journalist, Natasha. She conveys real fear and panic through her body language and facial expressions with such an ease, it's fascinating. Steve Davis delivers the second-pest performance as the charismatic cameraman, who also narrates the story, along with Natasha, and who's involved with the cinematography as well. The supporting performances are great, with Luke Arnold being the most memorable as the sympathetic Tangles.

Overall summary: Atmospheric, incredibly tense and utterly claustrophobic, "The Tunnel" may not be the scariest 'found footage' horror movie you'll ever see, or as innovative as its online campaign, but it's certainly one of the most finely-crafted and realistic mock-docs ever made, despite the lack of an actual climax.