Mole

For a small independent thriller this movie really delivers. The filmmakers actually shot most of it underneath New York City and it looks great. I can't even imagine how a studio would try to tackle this story. They would probably have to reconstruct the entire tunnel system underneath the city in some warehouse but this picture is the `real deal' as far as authentic locations and I think that is what struck me as so cool when watching.

The basic premise involves a reporter named Susan Pei (played by Sam Tsao). She's trying to earn more on screen time and better assignments, and the discovery of several bodies in an abandoned subway tunnel seems to be the springboard she's looking for. She gets a cameraman named Nick (John-Luke Montias) and a guy who claims to be an expert guide, Tom (James Cox), and she heads into the abandoned tunnels to find a story. She finds a story but soon fiction mixes in with reality as they discover more than they bargained for and find themselves struggling to survive against an unknown tunnel dweller.

This movie gradually evolves into a potent, creepy concept, and even though I can't imagine how they did some of the shooting of this film on subway tracks, the filmmakers actually managed to create something fairly stylish and moody by really pushing the extremes of light and shadow. It's a must see for any underground enthusiast and a nice twist at the end makes it a picture worth watching There is more than `scares' coming out of `Mole' but a moral theme I think works at its darkest level. This movie is a great example of independent filmmaking and despite its limitations as a low budget movie it surfaces as quite a movie because of its imaginative style and content.