Review: Urban Explorers (2007)

[Steve Rhodes]

URBAN EXPLORERS: INTO THE DARKNESS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2007 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****):  ***

So are you looking for a hobby?  How about one that's extremely dirty, 
dangerous and illegal?  One that will have your coworkers thinking you're 
nuts and your relatives praying nightly for your safety.  Yes, You can go 
exploring in some really gross and frightening environments with fellow 
thrill seekers who hook up via internet chat rooms.

The upside is that, if you don't die, get hurt or get arrested, you can have 
an exhilarating memory and some fascinating photos to remind you and your 
friends about your exploits.

URBAN EXPLORERS: INTO THE DARKNESS, by director Melody Gilbert, follows a 
group of normal looking people with typical day jobs who get a charge out of 
entering abandoned buildings and underground sewers -- places that typically 
have huge "Warning" and "No Trespassing" signs posted prominently outside 
them.

An important part of the urban explorer experience is the gear and the 
philosophy surrounding it.  Some explorers believe that it's important to 
carry as little as possible; otherwise, if the police catch you, they may 
call your gear "burglary tools."  Most explorers, however, take a backpack 
full of their favorite devices, figuring that they'll never know what may 
save their lives if they get trapped or start to pass out from methane gas 
or other fumes.  What almost all of them bring along are waders and rubber 
gloves.  Walking through floating sewage of feces and urine is quite common. 
They need to bring very high boots, since they may have to wade through 
several feet of unknown muck.

Although they don't try to hide identities, most of these explorers, who 
view themselves as "hackers of the real world," are known mainly by their 
internet handles from the chat rooms.  "Slim Jim," for example, is an 
engineer who designs tractors by day and lives in what he describes as 
boring Iowa.  But with a large collection of building blueprints and old 
tunnel maps, he has more ideas of places to explore than he could ever visit 
in several lifetimes.  If you met him at the grocery store, you would never 
expect him to be a risk-taker.  But, as we see in this documentary, he is 
one of many people who get a rush out of danger.  Watching the film, 
however, is enough -- admittedly vicarious -- danger for most of us. 
Certainly, if an overflowing toilet makes you want to gag, urban exploring 
is not the pastime for you.

URBAN EXPLORERS: INTO THE DARKNESS runs 1:28.

The film was shown as part of San Jose's Cinequest Film Festival 
(www.Cinequest.org), which ran February 28-March 11, 2007.

Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: Steve.Rhodes at InternetReviews.com

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