Mine 9

To call this movie harrowing is an understatement. It’s a focused — and perhaps necessary — assault on the senses.

The film prefers to share its protagonists' struggle, not lionizing the risks they take but also never questioning them.

Surprises may be few and far between, with every confrontation and dramatic moment preordained. But Mine 9 delivers suspense and pathos, geology and geography, and a spot-on cast puts faces and lives behind iconic “types,” and make this one of the most Netflixable films the streaming service offers.

Mensore’s film aims chiefly to highlight the typical plight of an American underclass that rarely gets big-screen attention. That it does with honesty and conviction, if not a great deal of inspiration.

The goings-on are grim, grueling and, eventually, grisly. Mensore shoots them with a sharp eye for maintaining coherent spatial relations, which enhances the suspense. It’s a sometimes bracing simulation.