S.N.U.B! and Rebuffing the Unbelievable: A Movie Review

Director: Jonathan Glendening.

Writer: John Adams and Peter Adams.

S.N.U.B! stands for Secret Nuclear Underground Bunker and the exclamation point is more hopeful than reality. This is a sub-standard indie feature which was shot in the United Kingdom which hosts a plethora of bad acting. The premise seems solid and exciting: a group of underground survivors is forced to the irradiated surface after a group of badly burned convicts sends them afoot. However, the weak writing creates an unbelievable atmosphere that creates more scoffs than actual chills up the spine.

The plot begins in an exciting fashion as a dirty or atomic bomb has been discovered in London's west end. The bomb squad seems to be on their first day with their tampering setting off this devastating device. At the same time, a junior minister has forgone his responsibilities to warn the public of their potential doom and instead he skedaddles for the local safe haven, an underground bunker. Others are also trying to get below ground, but few will make it. Now, a group of a dozen survivors leer and attack each other from several feet below the earth's crust, while not even offering a comment of the millions dying above. Where is the voice of reason? Their impatience grows and soon soldiers are being sent up to the surface on a radio repair mission. Things go horribly awry. A large group of escaped convicts are now hell bent on taking over the survivors' bunker. Thankfully, they win in the end and eradicate these selfish characters.

If this plot sounds exciting, that is because it looks great on paper. However, the execution of this film makes S.N.U.B! almost unbearable. The acting, particularly from Jonathan Moore and a few minor characters, is really bad. Could the film crew not find time for rehearsals? Then, the '90s style of generic musical selections makes the film feel like an afterthought. The writing is also full of unbelievable situations. Try this one for instance: you are below 80' of earth and unfortunately you do not have radio contact with the outside world after four hours. As well, the surface is an irradiated wasteland. Should you go up top to check things out, or wait below in relative safety for a few hours to let things die down? If you said check things out, then you have just let thirty murderous convicts into your bunker. Your death looms. If you chose to wait it out, then you need to be writing scripts because you are smarter than the writers here.

Outside of the unbelievability, S.N.U.B! offers some interesting looking special effects from Alexander Gunn which captures what a post-apocalyptic landscape could look like. Wavy lines signal that something is in the air. Also, the CGI enhanced background throws tonnes of dirt and debris in the air to create a fantastic but brutal climate above ground. Unfortunately, very little time is spent in this environment as much of the film takes place in a World War II styled bunker.

In the film's defence, the second half of S.N.U.B! does pick up in action. Seeing a fifty year old woman hack the arm off a criminal and disembowel another really needs to be seen. Yet, the occasional surreal and laughable event does not make up for some pretty stupid decisions on the part of the characters. The sink face smash was shocking, while another character is left below ground to confusing results. On the surface, S.N.U.B! offers some interesting plot devices, but they do not come together in any sort of satisfying conclusion. And do not expect to see this picture in North America any time soon as this style of film has been done much better in films like Der Untergang, The Bunker and several others.

Overall: 6.25 out of 10 (weak writing, poor characters, bad music, interesting premise, good spfx).

The film's homepage is here:

S.N.U.B.'s Official Website

This review has been influenced by another review of S.N.U.B! at Pick 'n' Mix Flix:

S.N.U.B. Reviewed at Pick 'n' Mix Flix

 |  |  | 

Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA

Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis Email Subscription

Posted in: 2011,2011 release,london,movie review,nuclear,nuclear strike,science fiction movie review,underground,united kingdom