Sundance 2022 Film Festival – It’s best to go into writer/director Aria Covamonas‘ wildly experimental Socrates’ Adventures in the Under Ground with no clear expectations. This is not a short that pays any mind to typical narrative conventions. Instead of trying to follow a straight storyline, it’s best to simply enjoy the ride, in all its strange glory.

There’s a lot going on in these 9 minutes, with flashes of Plato’s “Allegory of The Cave,” Socrates, of course, and even some references to  Maoism and Marxism.  There is a protagonist of sorts under threat by the state party. It’s unclear why he faces arrest, but that doesn’t really matter. Is he a thinker, a rebel against the state like Socrates? Maybe. The animation is a collage, with so many different ideas and theories crammed together in strikingly experimental visuals. There is even a woman with her hair on fire and nurses who booze it up. Make of that what you will.

Mostly, this short is worth a watch for its crazy and at times, stunning and funny animation. There’s a unique juxtaposition of images and surreal characters like talking mice. Heads of philosophers are pasted on the bodies of well-sculpted men. I don’t know what any of this means really, but I still enjoyed the experience, the layers upon layers.

This short is carried by its visuals and sound design. Its ideas are a little too messy to make much sense, but that’s okay. The animation is strange and at times, farcical and peculiar. The director has a unique talent for taking familiar images and rearranging them in such uncanny ways through the animation. There’s a lot of craft and talent here, even if some of the ideas are unclear.

Socrates’ Adventures in the Under Ground screened as part of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

6 Out of 10 Heads on Fire