"The Tunnel" is a low-budget Australian Indie horror feature that goes about the novel path of these found footage / interviews narratives which sets-up the incident as if it's actually occurred and looks at the aftermath during the same time. It might be unremarkable in its developments (virtually from the beginning we know who survived) and have its flaws, but still it's effectively uneasy (especially when the investigative news' team search for a story under Sydney's underground train network becomes a brutal fight for survival) and the characters are given enough depth (mainly with reflective / afterthought interviews) to build upon a real genuine sense of believability.
The story follows that of a TV journalist and her crew looking into the state's government initial idea of using the abandon train tunnels under Sydney as water recycle plant. However the homeless use the tunnels as shelter, although officials released reports otherwise. But for some reason the plans were scrapped, as now the government doesn't want to acknowledge it and this might be due to the constant disappearances of the homeless. With these cover-ups the crew decides to check out the tunnels themselves, especially after a somewhat frightening interview with a homeless man who once lived in them.
All build up; but it does a very good job in its structure by balancing out the intrigue with suspense, fear and the occasional jolt. Sure there are some questionable details in the plot, but never did it bother me. When the hectic nature erupts (after it's progressively slow groundwork), the story becomes a little shapeless and we are never quite sure to what's actually going on never does it go into explaining all that much (especially the crew's encounter with something quite scary) and by the end its still rather ambiguous. However the experience does leave you with a chill, other than confusion. I don't know what to make of this underground dweller. Its stays pretty much hidden. The movements are purposely jerky and quick. Sometimes its towering outline figure shows and of course the glowing eyes they just stare you down. Something is kind of hinted when the crew come across its lair, but little if nothing is explained about this dweller who stalks the underground tunnels. There's one scene; the only death scene we see is truly an eerie rattler. The dank setting is unique as the vast underground tunnel system makes for a windy labyrinth of darkness and claustrophobia, but other than the pitch black what creeps up on you is the unsettling echoing sound FX or simply a lack of it. Cinematography is important to infusing atmosphere; as expected hand-held camera-work which can be fuzzy or unfocused and this is demonstrated in many angles as numerous sequences have characters running about. Nothing all that distracting or nauseating, but well executed to say the least. Then there are the interviews, which do have a sincere quality to them. Performances have a nice grounded edge to them, never overplaying it but still rather involving in their illustrations of the ever-changing moods. Impressive turns by Bel Delia, Andy Rodoreda, Steve Davis and Luke Arnold. Director Carlo Ledesma uses many customary devices, but these are resourcefully pulled off with such precision and a real eye for detail in the horror stakes.
A familiarly solid, chilling and crafty little horror Indie feature.
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