The Underground (1997)
PM Entertainment Group was one of those gloriously prolific forces of the 1990s direct-to-video boom, a studio that seemed to operate on sheer momentum, churning out action films with a kind of blue-collar efficiency that echoed the ethos of Roger Corman or Cannon, make ten, hope one breaks through, and keep the wheels turning regardless. Their catalogue is a time capsule of VHS-era browsing, the kind of titles you’d pick up in a rental shop, admire for a moment, and then perhaps cautiously return to the shelf. Yet PM carved out a reputation for one thing above all else: vehicular destruction. Their films weren’t just about action, they were about impact! Cars flipping, crashing, and ploughing through anything in their path. The Underground fits squarely into that legacy, a film that exists primarily as a delivery system for automotive chaos, stitched together with just enough plot to keep the engines running.
It’s also one of the more elusive entries in their output. Unlike some of PM’s better-circulated titles, The Underground never seemed to have much presence in UK rental shops, adding to its slightly mythic quality for collectors. Tracking it down feels like part of the experience. Whether it’s my questionable early copy picked in Asia or a later, budget bin release that looks worse in every way, save for the cover. That sense of obscurity oddly suits the film itself, which plays like a forgotten cousin to glossier Hollywood efforts, most notably Hollywood Homicide, though stripped of star power and polish.
Fahey plays Detective Donaghy, an LAPD cop whose life is thrown off balance when his partner is killed during an investigation tied to the underground music scene, specifically a feud involving gangster rap artists and shadowy criminal backers. Paired with a new and younger partner, Michael McFall, Donaghy follows a trail that leads through rival musicians, corrupt industry figures, and organised crime operators exploiting the scene for profit. Donaghy’s increasingly reckless pursuit of justice puts strain on both his professional partnership and personal life. Whilst the “underground” of the title rolls with the music scene there is also a thematic representation of a descent into a lawless subculture where the lines between the hunters and the hunted become increasingly blurred. Deep, I know… but they blow shit up a lot!
The film clearly aspires to the buddy-cop rhythms popularised by Lethal Weapon and The Last Boyscout, but its limitations are never far from the surface. Budget constraints manifest most obviously in technical shortcomings, particularly in the sound design, which can be distractingly inconsistent with moments that should feel immersive instead feel oddly disconnected, like rain that refuses to fade when characters step indoors. The score is similarly uneven, veering between what sounds like library tracks of varying quality and more ambitious compositions that don’t quite blend together. Still, the film leans into its musical premise with some success, weaving in rap and … potential spoiler here … disco elements that tie directly into the storyline.
Where The Underground truly comes alive, though, is in its action. PM Entertainment’s priorities are crystal clear: story is secondary, spectacle is king. The film delivers a steady stream of car chases and collisions, many staged on what appear to be conveniently empty stretches of road, but occasionally spilling into more dynamic environments like residential streets. There’s a tangible, practical thrill to these sequences, no CGI safety net, just stunt performers and real vehicles doing what they love! Director Cole S. McKay is a season Stunts person with a huge list of credits to his name, sadly ony a handful of director outings. Fahey himself is refreshingly present in much of the action, lending a physicality that elevates the material. While he was never fully branded as an action star, his work here,and in similarly scaled projects like Hijack and Lethal Tender, suggests an actor more than willing to throw himself into the chaos, even finding moments of levity, such as a well-timed laugh while fleeing an explosion.
As a character, Fahey’s Donaghy is less compelling, a somewhat uneven blend of hard-boiled clichés and muted personality. The script doesn’t offer him any particularly memorable dialogue, and his arc feels underdeveloped, though there are attempts to address his inconsistencies through interactions with his partner. That partner, McFall, proves to be a decent and engaging presence, functioning not just as support but as a counterbalance who challenges Donaghy and injects some needed energy into their dynamic. Their exchanges, including moments of humour that touch on cultural differences, walk a fine line but ultimately feel natural enough to add a layer of authenticity. Their moments of bonding feel reasonably well-handled, especially the realistic exchange of Irish and Black jokes to lighten the mood.
Supporting players like Brion James bring a welcome familiarity, even in limited screen time, while other subplots, particularly involving Donaghy’s personal life, his wife played by Debbie James feel undercooked and unresolved. There is also a hint of a relationship between Jillian McWhirter and Fahey, an interesting touch is McFall commenting on a potential romantic spark between Fahey and McWhirter, suggesting perhaps future character development if sequels had existed. Gregory Scott Cummins (Mac’s disgruntled dad!) and Willie C. Carpenter are also notabled additions to the story with properly fleshed out characters.
The Underground is a film that knows exactly where its strengths lie and leans into them unapologetically. It may be rough around the edges, riddled with technical flaws and narrative shortcuts, but it delivers where it counts for its intended audience. The stunt work alone stands as a reminder of a pre-digital era when action was built on physical risk and practical ingenuity. Approached in the right frame of mind, it’s an entertaining relic of a very specific moment in home video history, messy, energetic, and undeniably committed to the art of blowing things up and smashing them together in the most satisfying way possible.
DVD is you pal here. There are a number on auction sites with low pricetags. Watch out for VCDs, this seemed to have a decent life on that medium.
For something HD, there hasn’t been a whisper. PM have seen some movies hit Blu Ray, however, I can’t imagine there is a demand outside of my lonely, meek calling.
