Common Sense Media Review
Dystopian fantasy collection has language, violence, trauma.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Undergods
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
UNDERGODS is an episodic fantasy movie containing stories that are connected by their decaying, dystopian European setting. In each story, various characters try to survive the harsh living conditions and traumatic experiences.
Is It Any Good?
The debut feature from writer-director Chino Moya, this fantasy thriller suffers from a common complaint about music video and commercial directors transitioning into movies. Undergods has plenty of style, but not much substance. While this anthology of stories takes place in a well-shot, visually rich world, its characters rarely talk or behave in believable ways. As a result, each segment groans under the weight of seeming like it is trying to be a metaphor for something -- possibly how the modern world is slowly eroding people's living standards and ability to communicate effectively with one another. But everyone we meet is too cold and distant for us to care about their fates, or what overarching point it feels like the filmmaker is trying to make.
Moya would likely be able to create something dark, mysterious and humorous with a stronger script. But Undergods ends up trapped in the uneventful world it is trying to both warn us about and escape.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the the world in which Undergods is set. In what ways was it recognizable, but also different, to today's world? Did it remind you of any other movies that are set in a world familiar but unlike our own?
Talk about the violence in the movie. Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
Discuss some of strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Discuss the large cast of characters. Did you enjoy watching lots of stories set in one place? Would you have preferred to follow some of them more and others less? What connected the movie's different stories. How were the characters similar despite being from different walks of life?
How was this movie different to other fantasy movies that you've seen? Were you surprised to watch a fantasy movie without more special effects or magic?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 7, 2021
- On DVD or streaming : May 7, 2021
- Cast : Johann Myers , Geza Rohrig , Michael Gould
- Director : Chino Moya
- Studio : Gravitas Ventures
- Genre : Fantasy
- Run time : 92 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate
