The Unexplored (2015) User Reviews

A must see!!!

[toltec · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

"The Unexplored" documentary is a piece of art that is a must to see.

The movie is about group of friends (cavers) that explore unknown underwater caves in the jungle of Yucatan Mexico. One of the most extreme activities - cave diving - is presented in a really direct and raw way. Being explorer myself, there are many things I like in the movie, but the most I like, are: the presentation that real explorations are made always from serious teams of friends; nature of caves and exploration described from a 11 year old boy, cave diver; and of course the silent idea behind all the movie, that exploring of the new areas are in fact exploring of ourselves and of no-existence of the limits.

There are no actors in the movie but real explorers, that give an account of their exploration activities, their attitude. When the movie ends, I start it from the beginning again.

I recommend it to anyone. It is a gem about explorers and exploration. About the vast places on earth that are still virgin and waiting their explorers.

A MUST SEE!!! 10 from 10

That's how it's done!

[admin-84929 · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

Both the film making and the content of this feature are simply unbelievable. I am a professional in the cave diving industry and have never seen anything like this in my 27 years of this career. This movie has a completely different style than the rest and it shows the spirit of true underwater cave exploration. These guys in Mexico are doing something very unusual. I have not heard of anyone attempting such no-mount techniques in cave diving exploration and most cave divers would be very scared to try this. However here it is done brilliantly and obviously by people who are undoubtedly qualified to do it. I am really impressed! I also very much liked the young diver. His closing remarks were amazing, and seeing this come from such a young person blew my mind. He is surely someone we will be watching in cave diving, and with such mentors and friends I have no doubt he will be very famous soon. All in all, I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone - diver or non-diver. It is so much more than a diving movie - it is a movie about the life and the soul. You feel refreshed after watching it and you will have a big smile on your face. This inspired me to register on IMDb for the first time and I give this documentary 10 out of 10 with absolutely no hesitation! I hope many people will watch this, we need these kind of filmmaking.

Don't miss it!

[ivaylo_staykov · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

Incredible documentary about cave diving and exploration, which will take your breath away from the first second to the very end! Extremely elegant camera and eye for detail the film must have the optimistic charge. Filled with magnificent shots of the beauty of the submerged caves, the film can be used as a tool for education, training and to entertain or simply to excite the audience!

I would really want to thank to all members of DivingMexico's ATI Exploration Team for the efforts, money and time they have put in and for the film by which gave us the opportunity to see this amazing other world filled with indescribable beauty, unseen for thousands of years!

Don't miss it! Enjoy!

An awesome perspective

[claudiadeplaya · 10/10 · 17 June 2015]

When a documentary is able to transport you to another world, and this is a place that your whole being is seeking, the depth of your own mind, in a sacred place. The Maya considered this the infra world for good reason. I've been in caves before, but was never able to be taken by the hand into the beauty, the stillness and the profound knowledge that this hidden places have to offer. Bravo for this team, for their insight, for sharing their perspective of this "sport" a perspective that resounds with many, those who can appreciate the personal transformation that comes from a state of appreciation.... this are definitely not just stalactites and stalagmites what a beautiful way to present this world to us. Yum Botik

A must watch

[sailing-10559 · 17 June 2015]

I have been in diving for quite a long time. This is a must watch film. Excellent work from the crew in Mexico. The exploration work currently done there is on a very high level and it is nice to see a film which can show this in an interesting way. Cave diving usually is portrayed differently - like an activity which requires a superhuman effort. Although the exploration shown in this film is indeed very extreme, the director takes a different and a very human approach. Knowing most of the folks who are into this sport, I must say that such a documentary is in fact highly unusual. The end of the film is also very strong. We have to help the new generation of divers, even the younger ones. It is time. Well done!

Gorgeous documentary

[flamy_p · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

I must admit I was caught unprepared. This film is not what I expected and I was very pleasantly surprised. Taking a route different from the overly dramatic reality shows we have become used to watching, this film is an exquisite masterpiece. The movie presents interesting personalities on a journey to peace and calm, which they find where most would not ever dare to go. It seems that the diving is on a very high level, although I am not an expert. As for the wonderful young boy - growing up in such an environment must be an amazing experience! He demonstrates character that is seen in very few of his age. This by itself makes this movie worth watching. My opinion is that it should be watched by an audience much wider than those interested in diving, since this is more a film about life than anything else. An easy 10 out of 10 from me.

A really beautiful film

[office-11035 · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

I have never dived myself, but I grew around cave divers in Florida. Outstanding film-making! There is so much to say about this movie - it is VERY unusual. The way it is shot and the things these guys do defy imagination. I don't think it is for the faint of heart, I was even a little scared. But then, there is a gentle quality and great subtle sense of humor. The kid is amazing, I wish I had such opportunities when I was young. It seems that this is this director's first documentary. Way to go! I would recommend this to anyone. You don't have to be interested in diving or caves. I felt that this was a movie about the human spirit. It is quite rare to find movies about this, let alone great ones. 10 of 10, definitely!

Amazing documentary !

[j_rusev · 10/10 · 19 June 2015]

First review here - really very impressed !

Unbelievable documentary about cave diving and exploration. I'm not a cave diver and the only way for me to see this incredible beauty is through movies. This time it was very different. I have very alive experience of being there, of swimming through narrow places, I fill very alive sense of fear :) . The realization that this outer exploration to the most inaccessible places of the cave, is a reflection of an inner exploration to the depths of the mind was profound ! Thank you ATI Exploration Team for this adventure ! Great job !

P.S. Some people maybe don't realize that we are not coming in this world as empty pages. That age doesn't mean anything. That everyone has different capacity, meets different people in his live and at age of 11 can be more experienced then some 40 years old. Respect Niki !!!

Great film!

[office-14512 · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

I was really moved and this is my first review here. It is not often one comes across such a different film. Being an outdoor person myself I can completely feel the passion with which these people explore the caves of Mexico. Really beautiful images, very deep thoughts and some amazing filmmaking here. This is not your typical Hollywood/NatGeo/Discovery type documentary at all. It is obviously made by people who have put their soul into the movie. I also saw a negative comment about the magnificent young person featured in the movie. What a shame and kudos to him! It seems that there are haters everywhere these days. Don't mind all this - watch this stellar movie. Great thanks to the people who made this possible! For me, as a non-diver and non-caver this is opening a door to a world which I would never see otherwise. Would recommend this film to all. 10 of 10.

What an amazingly gentle documentary!

[sc-51513 · 17 June 2015]

This is my first review on IMDb, but... oh what a film! I spent 20 years of my life cave diving, but this was long ago and although we did some amazing things back then, this sport has changed so much. I am very glad to see such a nicely done film, with amazing pacing, sensitivity and unbelievable content. Young people going into the sport. Bravo!! Although this movie is about cave diving, it shows so much more. It shows an attitude which is so hard to find in anything these days - a gentle approach to nature, great team spirit, great people. The beauty of caves and the spirit of cave exploration is so aptly portrayed. A must watch for sure, for anyone. Thanks to the people who made this film. It made my day!

A real gem! Full of meaning and stunning beauty!!

[madpetio · 10/10 · 18 June 2015]

I had the opportunity to be present at some parts of the production of this movie. And it made me appreciate the film even more. Cave diving is considered one of the most dangerous sports on the planet, only few people manage to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to survive in the flooded caves. The underwater cave exploration is even more challenging and filming the exploration is something very few divers can accomplish. It is an art in itself and we are lucky that there are people who are willing to share their unbelievable experiences and the amazing beauty they encounter underground with all of us. The film follows an unusual group of explorers dedicated to pushing the limits and going deeper under the ground and the water to the last virgin and unexplored territories on the planet. They manage to present in a unique way their passion and their attitude towards life itself. The uncompromising environment of the underwater caves teaches in a very direct way about our human nature and the qualities we need to lead a full, exciting life. The stunning beauty of the submerged caves in the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and the unique atmosphere and stillness underground provide for the incredible ambiance of the movie. The director has succeeded in making the audience not only present this ambiance but connect with it in a very personal way. The viewer is being drawn to and submerges in this virgin lands of otherworldly beauty and calmness that cannot be found anywhere above the surface. For us, who are used to the ever growing speed of today's fast paced life, this proves to be truly revealing experience. To finally encounter, even though, only through the medium of the screen, people who clearly show in a very direct, practical way, that there is another mode of living. A life of different speed, of endless play and exploration, the life of perfect balance, we are all so desperately seeking. This film is a true tribute to the daring human nature ever eager to explore the outer and inner worlds. It provokes true inspiration and challenges us to find our own virgin territories, our own unexplored lands waiting to be found. It is a must see for anyone who has preserved a little sense of reality and desire for exploration and has not yet given completely to the cages of the square "modern" life. It is for all who still feel connected to the nature and are always excited by the wonders of the planet we live on. So, sit back and enjoy fully this journey of unsurpassable beauty deep into the labyrinths of the underwater caves of Mexico. I would like to thank the crew behind the film for their efforts and would recommend it to anyone!! It is a true gem!!

Real stuff!

[matt_davidson-98922 · 10/10 · 19 June 2015]

I saw this on the DocumentaryAddict website which I visit often. Blew my mind! I can't express myself very well and I am not into writing reviews but I feel like encouraging other people to see this. I love documentaries and there are some great ones out there but this is in a league of it's own. It has action, it has beautiful footage, it has amazing narrative, it has an amazing kid inside - everything you need to be touched on a deep level. And it feels genuine which I do not see often in movies these days. This is not a product made for profit. This is clearly made by people who have passion for what they do and it is an excellent example of film making. Great content, great story, great cast, amazingly beautiful locations, thrilling, what can you want more? I have to give it 10 out of 10!

real inspiration

[decho_s_v · 10/10 · 19 June 2015]

Wow, I have always wonder what exactly turn on too many people to keep on doing such dangerous thing. It was like a feeling that down there you can find much more than i ever expected. But the film goes beyond all my guesses, expectations and feelings. To challenge your self and to face your fears yes, for sure. But being the most relaxing experience, well this was a big surprise. The options to change the realm for a while, to lost your self and ingenerally to explore your own mind on deep level, all this change the perspective completеly. At least but not last all my narrow minded every day"big problems" look pretty funny only after watching the video. I wonder what it will be if one day i have the luck to go thru such experience. Their is too much inspiration, too many questions and it is a window to another way of life. Thank you very much for all.

Wow!!!

[divinggem · 10/10 · 19 June 2015]

Just... wow! But since I have to write 10 lines for this to go live I will say that this is the first diving movie I gathered my whole family to watch, with my parents. Can't really explain but there is something very, very special about this movie. You keep thinking about it. You may think this is a movie about cave diving, but that's just incidental. This feels like something so much more. The kid, the people in it... something is really out of the ordinary here, in a very, very good way! This film shows that there can be so much more to anything we do than just doing it. Things can be done with passion, and with vision. I am not into online reviews at all but this surely deserved my time. I am totally recommending this to anyone, anywhere. Rating of 10, without exaggeration. And, to the sad angry hater with the only negative comment - I wish you grow up someday.

Pure Magic

[peostoyanov · 10/10 · 21 June 2015]

Incredibly beautiful film with really unique, meditation-like atmosphere! The footage from the caves looks so otherworldly!

This movie would be intriguing and entertaining not only for divers but even for those with no diving experience like myself. It captures us from the very beginning, leads us through some breathtaking moments and holds us till the very end. The great value of this film is the possibility to really see through the eyes of the divers and feel, in a very personal way, the unique symbiosis between relaxation and calmness, and in the same time, the great focus and control, that is required for this kind of diving and exploration.

I have no idea how they have managed to film so high quality footage in such extreme conditions, underwater in the submerged caves, but these guys have done a really great job! Thank you so much for making us part of your experience and sharing with us the amazing beauty and tranquility of this hidden cave world - what a great journey! Kudos!

This is one unreal film!

[jessica-11843 · 10/10 · 19 June 2015]

I felt the need to join the other here and to write a review on the Internet and I do not do this often. I grew around cave divers in SE Florida, my dad is a cave diver and he gave me this to watch. I was really blown away! Usually cave diving movies are filled with testosterone - macho games, ego games of all kinds, stupid films made by men for men. Well, not this one. This one is just amazing. It talks about beauty, it talks about how we should do things. It shows some amazing people. The kid, oh the kid! Just great! Since I was able to watch it in one breath, and find myself wanting to watch it again this movie should be suitable for everyone. I see that other reviewers called it a gentle movie. Yes it is, and so much more. That director who is also diving and speaking in the movie is a very special individual. I have never seen a film made like this one. If this is his first film - I want more! I can not vote with anything else but 10 for this. Keep it coming.

They dance to a different drum!

[seduwahile · 10/10 · 19 June 2015]

Why aren't there more films like this one? I was given this to watch last night by a very insistent relative and I almost ignored it. Boy, wouldn't that have been a mistake. This should air on national television in every country in the world! The experience is not easy to describe but this documentary has a special quality. Definitely inner exploration of the highest order. The young kid is simply amazing, and the people who had raised him like this deserve the highest admiration. This is one of the most beautiful movies I have watched in my life and I am sure to watch it again. I will be recommending this to everyone and I feel that this film needs to get known everywhere. It has to be shown in schools. Incredible film making, the producers have my utmost respect!

I think you should watch this

[synthstar-88951 · 10/10 · 21 June 2015]

I came across this on a documentary movies website, don't remember which one. I thought that I would be watching 5 minutes of it but ended up watching all of it. This is a really moving film which has some outstandingly beautiful scenes. A little scary at times for someone like me who has never been to a cave or dived with scuba but nevertheless very entertaining and informative. I didn't know that there were people left who do this kind of thing. It was all new to me and the kid in there was magnificent! I read some of the other reviews, I don't have anything more to add it has all been said. I will be recommending the movie to my friends and family when I remember where I found it, lol :) 10 out of 10

Inspiring

[basketcase-63561 · 10/10 · 20 June 2015]

Wonderful movie! For me personally it's not only enjoyment to watch this unknown beauty in the caves. It is something completely opposite to all my world. I this time of totally world wide craziness, totally frustration, hatred and fake values.The movie represents a people who across their limitations. It wear the taste of braveness, responsibility, humanity.It wear the taste of peacefulness and calmness. And represents a new world here in our home Earth. An extraordinary world which is all the time here. To see the unknown. To step out your comfort zone, no matter you dive in caves or into your own unknown, your own caves. This is something everyone have to face it.This is inspiring!

Not your ordinary documentary! Priceless!

[davidovasen · 10/10 · 29 June 2015]

This movie is great on so many levels it's difficult to cover it all in 10 lines.

It's on the line between life and death, between light and darkness, between inner and outer world, between yin and yang. Somewhere there..

This movie is unnaturally beautiful, soundtrack is mesmerizing, your attention is kept pinned to the very end. Let alone seeing the guys comfortably going through one of the most challenging environments men could possibly get into. Almost like exploring the space at your own. Similar things could be said about other documentaries too but this particular one gets deeper, much deeper, almost spiritual.

Paralleling cave exploration to exploration of your mind is the thing that makes this movie so special. It is a multidimensional concept. Connecting micro space to the macro space, inner to the outer, material to the spiritual. This is where the wizards dwell! Go find yourself!

All in all a must watch and must spread the word about!

Absolutely Stunning Piece of Art!

[ivaylovalentin · 10/10 · 23 June 2015]

This short documentary, (not only) about underwater cave exploration in Mexico completely blew my mind, I watched it only 5 times so far! The cinematography and storytelling are simply brilliant; the experience of watching it is magical, you gently become one with the divers and the caves! Absolutely stunning scenes, very skillful and conscious divers, surely the most dangerous no-mount dives in the world. Total respect and awe for what you do and for the best film on the topic! Kudos for Niki! This film transfers you to another dimensions and reminds us that one can challenge and explore ceaselessly his/her mind. Great work! Thank you!

A Must See Documentary! Pure Gem!

[sansmoi · 10/10 · 27 June 2015]

Underwater cave exploration in Mexico, performed at unparalleled level by the ATI Exploration Team and presented in such a masterful way, it will blow you mind. At least this happened to me; the film magically embraces you from the very beginning and takes you to a journey so unexpected and profound that when it ends you say "whaaat, lets watch it again!". Because it turned out to be a surprising journey into yourself as well.

The cinematography is simply brilliant (even the raw footage is beautifully shot), the music and sounds, the amazingly graceful movements of the divers (no offense to other divers!) who seem to dance within the mesmerizing caves with great precision, the fluidity of colors, the seamless sequence of scenes and the story telling – all are merged in harmonious symphony and you suddenly, very gently shift to another state of mind, becoming part of all you see and hear, you are not even an external observer anymore.

(Potential spoilers ahead!) The film shows Ivo making such an impossible dive you would not believe your eyes! This is probably the first and only successfully completed no "no-mount" dive on the planet so far.

Let me return to the storytelling – I find it to be on a par with the documentaries of Werner Herzog… and something more, because it has been done from the first-hand experience, from the filmmaker's heart. The concise explanations of the divers are such genuine outer display of their inner world while diving, that you literally get to know the caves themselves, as if they are opening their dimensions to you. The introduction by Ivo invites you to dare look deeper into your own mind, the sincere words of Deyan make you realize in an instant both the harsh truths and the beauty of underwater cave exploration; The unique story by Niki, an 11 years old diver (kudos!), describes the moment when you "forget that you exist". This is unbelievable experience! The narration (by Peter Xifo) is also very well fitting. These guys excel in everything!

I would stop here with my poor attempts to describe in words the film, which is indeed beyond explanations – you should not miss it! Thank you, ATI Team, for creating this pure gem and letting broader audience experience it!

Insightful and beautiful

[ashapiroa-02265 · 23 June 2015]

What motivates people to explore, to go to places where no human has been before? Is it to document an otherwise empty spot on the map? To show others a path to new worlds? To find treasure or to claim territory? In his documentary film "The Unexplored" , Ivo Kalushev and his team of underwater cave explorers answer these questions in a simple and elegant way. For them, the answer lies in discovering them selves.

Almost all exploration, whether geographic or scientific, requires extensive training. Concentration, attention to detail, risk assessment and numerous other skills are necessary. The fact that Columbus landed on the island of San Salvador by mistake does not diminish the fact that he was a skilled sailor. But how is underwater cave exploration different?

Nikki, the youngest member of the ATI team says it best when he states, "I have no words to describe it." No words could do justice to the feeling of being frozen in time just a few feet into a cave. While gliding in zero gravity past immense stalactites and stalagmites, named "decorations" by cavers, a quick math suggest eternity since they grow only a few inches in one hundred years. In the caves, it becomes increasingly clear that your own life is just a blink of an eye. Like mountaineers who measure themselves against the immense grandeur of mountain peaks, cave divers experience this phenomenon even more intensely and intimately. Inside the caves, the silence emanating from the elaborate formations is deafening and the nature's limestone orchestration exquisite.

In the film, Deyan Iliev, Ivo's buddy and who, I suspect, is the spokesman of reason for the ATI team makes the point that cave exploration is dangerous and is not for everyone. Arguably, so is driving during rush hour in that man made cave called Manhattan or crossing the Atlantic in a sailboat, which is how ATI team arrived in Mexico, having just learned about port and starboard sides. Even by cave diving standards, what Ivo Kalushev accomplishes at the end of the film is not only dangerous, but also arguably crazy. But he would not be an explorer if he ignored an opportunity to find out that there just may be another horizontal layer of underwater caves that stretches for uncountable miles hidden beneath that vertical restriction. The level of training required to accomplish this would impress SEAL Team 6.

The most important thing for Ivo and company is the same as the draw for all explorers of things unknown. It is to be in a state of harmony with oneself in a place that may be, in some distant time, will be accessible to others. It is to feel yourself in the presence of eternity, where the only sound you hear is your own breathing, the single source of light is on a helmet, and the way home is a line tied to rocks. The only source of help you can count on is your buddy's presence of mind and quick reaction. It is a place where you feel at home and at peace with yourself and the world. It is where you are relaxed yet alert. It is where you belong.

"The Unexplored" phrases the immensity of this mysterious phenomenon perfectly: there are hundreds of miles of unexplored underwater caves beneath the Yucatan jungle. How many is that relative to caves yet to be discovered? The estimate is around 5%. It will be up to Nikki and other explorers like him to map it.

Sweet!

[james_ruby · 10/10 · 8 September 2015]

This is one sweet movie! Very nice and enlightening entertainment with some deep overtones. Made me thing about a lot of things and surely widened my perspective of what is going on in caving and diving. I hadn't imagined there were people doing such things. It seems dangerous to do this kind of underwater exploration and they have a lot of guts for sure. This is clearly not for everyone and I found myself getting a little scared at times. However I utterly enjoyed every minute of it and wanted it to last longer. The cinematography was stunning, the story was very well told. Kudos to the creators of this little gem of a documentary!

This is good

[divelady · 10/10 · 8 September 2015]

I saw this at a local festival screening here in the Netherlands and I was inspired to rate it, as it is a very unusual and provocative movie. The story follows a team of cave explorers in Mexico who do some pretty amazing things in the underwater caves there. It looks dangerous but at the same times has some feeling of freedom to it. It is really hard to describe and I urge you to watch the movie - it is only some 40 minutes. But you will remember it. The main characters are obviously very intriguing persons with deep knowledge about life and what it has to offer. There is an amazing kid at the closing scene who says some very wise things. I am into diving myself, although very far from this level, so I may be a little biased but I will surely recommend this to many friends. You rarely see so obviously independent filmmaking at such a high level. Reminded me somewhat of the films of Werner Herzog who I really admire.