Review: Tunnel Rat (2008)

Director: Raf Reyntjens | 20 minutes | war, short film | Actors: Peter Connelly, John Flanders, Thomas Janssens, Roman Knizka, Jef Ravelingien, Stefan Sattler, Matthias Schoenaerts

Viewers who suffer from claustrophobia and hate cramped spaces might want to skip ‘Tunnelrat’. This original World War I story takes place on a small square meter. As a result, they let a blood-curdling and notable gem pass by. Allies and Germans make each other’s lives miserable at the front. They sabotage each other’s positions through underground tunnels. Those tunnels are in turn a target. During a mission of John Atkins (Matthias Schoenaerts) he stumbles upon a German. The two get stuck in a small space. Surrounded by earth and rats, physical and psychological tension arises.

‘Tunnelrat’ is a remarkable viewing experience that grabs the scruff from the start, is exciting and at the same time shows the horror of the trenches. Two people, arch enemies standing nose to nose in a self-dug grave. Annoying and boring? Nowhere. Raf Reyntjens conducts the tempo with a steady hand and manages to constantly hold the viewer’s attention because you absolutely want to know where this is going. The ending may be a bit far-fetched, but it certainly doesn’t spoil the whole thing. A big compliment to Matthias Schoenaerts who can not only charge himself for large productions. Respect also for the makers for taking so much care of the authentic settings and this for a film that lasts less than half an hour. An original item in an uncanny setting.