The Horror Movie Tubi Discovered Leaves You In The Dark Where Your Worst Fears Await

By Robert Scucci
| Published 16 seconds ago

There are many horror movies found like 2011 The Tunnel take over our streaming apps, but not all are created equal. The “hit or miss” aspect is what constantly draws me to found footage films because it’s my favorite subgenre when it’s done well. Leaving its source of terror to the viewer’s imagination for its entire running time, The Tunnel gritty, gripping, well shot, poorly lit (by design), and superbly acted, making it one of the best low budget movies to come out in the last 20 years.

Leaning Into Its Own Simplicity

Streaming free on Tubi, The Tunnel following beats similar to The Blair Witch Projectbut in an urban setting.

Located in Sydney, Australia, The Tunnel the story is told in retrospect through interviews with an investigative journalist called Natasha Warner (Bel Delia) and her camera operator, Steven Miller (Steve Davis). Aside from Natasha playing an all-too-real 911 call at the beginning of the film, we have no idea what’s going on underground, but we’ll soon find out.

After learning about an abandoned water recycling project led by the New South Wales government, Natasha becomes suspicious when officials suddenly stop pursuing the project despite their initial enthusiasm. Through Natasha’s research, she learns that there are homeless camps in the tunnels, and that many underground residents have inexplicably disappeared over the previous months. When Natasha asks around, officials deny that any displaced citizens ever live underground, leading her to believe that something sinister is at work.

Cave Conspiracy

What was originally proposed as a way to recycle the stagnant water found trapped under Sydney’s massive train network as a conservation effort became what Natasha believes is a huge government hideout in The Tunnel (streaming on Tubi). Natasha assembles a small team that includes her producer, Peter (Andy Rodoreda), her cameraman, Steven, and a sound engineer called Tangles (Luke Arnold), who are reluctant to join her because they have been pull off other projects to help with the investigation.

Without proper authorization to enter the hidden network of tunnels, Natasha and her crew sneak in undetected. They quickly regret going underground, where their fate becomes uncertain, as they have no practical way to reach help because no one knows where they are.

Camera Work Cut Above

Since The Tunnel framed as a documentary, the confessional scenes have a rhythm similar to the crime specials you’d see streaming on Netflix. You know better than to get emotionally invested in certain characters because they aren’t around to tell their side of the story for reasons that will become clear once the movie plays out.

This framework sets The Tunnel apart from others find a movie films found on streaming because Natasha and company are experienced journalists who know how to work audio and video equipment.

When Natasha and company are running for their lives from some unknown entity, the camerawork is relatively consistent (all things considered), which keeps you anchored in the storytelling because you’re not trying to fight in by motion sickness despite the fact that you are sitting on your sofa.

A Work of Fiction With Real Fear

The experienced crew at The Tunnel also sets up a tense dynamic because Natasha – like Heather Donahue of The Blair Witch Project – is the only person who wants to be there. What’s more, Peter, Steven, and Tangles have a tendency to joke around, especially since they don’t take Natasha’s investigation seriously despite their technical expertise. When Tangles tries to fix his boom mic levels after claiming to have heard screaming on the play, Natasha doesn’t believe him at first, which turns out to be a fatal mistake.

But still, thanks to Tangle’s invaluable skills, we encounter moments of silence punctuated by pipes slowly dripping in the distance, unknown footsteps heard just out of frame, and feeling like you’re not alone in the tunnel with Natasha’s crew while streaming this movie and wondering when their flashlights will run out of batteries, leaving you in the darkness

The Tunnel is currently streaming for free is Tubi.