Underground (1995)

The critic calls the film a bizarre, often repellent anti-war parable that takes too long to state the obvious but hits scattered high notes along the way. He singles out the surreal atmosphere and Lubitsch-like black comedy subplots for praise while criticizing the shrill tone, annoying characters, and excessive length.

The critic finds the film no masterpiece, too wilful and ramshackle with little feeling for its people, but notes Kusturica's striking imagery and lyricism in the final sequence that evokes Tarkovsky.

The review calls the film rambling and over-ambitious, with events engaging early on but becoming inaccessible and confusing afterward, stronger on style than substance.

The critic praises Kusturica's technical virtuosity in staging hectic large-scale set-pieces but finds it hard to discern the exact purpose of this epic allegory about political deception and heroism. They suggest that behind the sensational imagery there is ultimately less substance than meets the eye.

The critic finds it a sprawling, rowdy, vital film laced with outrageous absurdist dark humor and unspeakable pain, a dazzling epic allegory that sustains passion and sorrow across decades of Yugoslavian history.

The critic hails the film as the most important of the last 25 years and a sweltering, morally inquisitive work of political fiction that laments humanity’s propensity for self-destruction. He singles out its deliriously metaphorical blend of lowbrow slapstick, sophisticated war commentary, and magical realist elements for particular praise.

The critic describes a wild, sprawling feverish whimsical allegory with a devastating central idea about political delusion and the fate of Yugoslavia, praising its robust tale, bursts of humor, and magnificent ending that melds tragedy with optimism.

The critic calls it a three-hour steamroller circus that leaves the viewer dazed and exhausted but mightily impressed, with energy and a condemnation of communism and war making it emotionally engaging at Cannes.

The critic hails Emir Kusturica's 1995 film as a genre-defying masterpiece that blends war, comedy, fantasy, and romance into a chaotic yet beautiful cinematic experience. They praise its purposeful direction, surreal humor, and ability to find beauty in chaos while challenging conventional storytelling.