Review of As Above, So Below (2014) by Christopher H — 05 Sep 2014

"As Above, So Below" is a smart horror film packaged to be consumed by the average viewer. Set in the claustrophobic nightmare that is the Paris Catacombs, one has to wonder why it took so long for horror filmmakers to capitalize on the built-in creepiness that comes from the bone-lined tunnels. Unsure where the real Catacombs end and the studio sets begin, the close quarters and claustrophobia really take hold and cause for some extremely stressful situations. With dismal entries already this year and with a trailer that set it on track to be another horror disappointment, "As Above, So Below" actually muscles through its found-footage shakiness and delivers a unique and horrific adventure unlike anything you have experienced before. One part "Tomb Raider", two parts "The Descent", the plot follows a group of treasure hunters into the unknown as they hunt for the Philosopher's Stone.

Putting aside my strong resentment for the recent bastardizing of the genre and even though the shaky camera gets nauseating at times there is enough restraint and some stellar shot choices that eventually make up for it. Just as alchemy attempts to combine the physical world with the supernatural, determining the depths of hell with mathematics, "As Above, So Below" is able to make the existence of hell seem plausible, literally grounding it in some strange reality that makes one feel like it could be just beneath our feet. So give yourself over to the white-knuckle, stomach-wrenching ride that is the hell of the Paris Catacombs in what could be the best horror film of the year.