Tuesday, September 02, 2014

As Above, So Below is a Fiery Journey: A Movie Review

Director: John Erick Dowdle.

Writers: Drew Dowdle and John Erick Dowdle.

Cast: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, François Civil and Marion Lambert.

As Above, So Below is a film that is set and which was filmed in the catacombs beneath Paris, France. The film is reminiscent of an earlier film titled Catacombs (2007). Both film were shot in the same setting. Though, John Erick Dowdle's version has a more compelling story, compared to the earlier film. Beneath the streets of Paris, hell resides just out of sight and several amateur archeologists are in search of a valuable object, hidden there. The film manages to develop its creepy tone early in the film. The dark setting and lighting effects are unsettling, often. As well, Erik Dowdle and brother Drew Dowdle manage to weave in a subplot involving guilt. The Devil uses guilt to trap its trespassers here, until they are able to lift these bonds. Overall, As Above, So Below is a compelling and tense film, set in one of the world's most terrifying real life settings.

The story is centrally focused on the character Scarlett (Perdita Weeks). Scarlett is determined to finish her father's work. Strangely, Scarlett's father was interested in the now defunct study of alchemy. The protagonist finds evidence of an ancient, mythological artifact - the philosopher's stone. She gathers a few friends for a journey deep below ground. But, the Devil is already waiting for Scarlett and her treasure greedy friends. The Lord of Illusions utilizes some trickery to force the characters to back pedal, until a moment of trust is forced on everyone. Trust is difficult to find in the bowels of hell.

The tone of the film is consistently creepy. Much of the film is set in the catacombs of Paris, mentioned above. These tunnels are very tight and they often twist in all sorts of directions. These settings are a claustrophobe's nightmare. As well, the lighting is provided by a series of headlamps, or so it seems. Secondary lighting is never shown on the screen. This use of realistic lighting keeps events believable as the characters descend deeper and deeper. Finally, strange characters seem to pop out of nowhere. A group of witches are content to moan hundreds of feet below ground. A ghost kid pops up from behind a pillar and another, long-lost spelunker appears in Act II. All of these characters offer a chill or two as they appear at the most inopportune times. From lighting to setting, many of the film elements create a terrifying tone.

The character's must overcome their feelings of guilt to escape. The protagonist Scarlett feels guilt for turning her back on her father, when he was most troubled. Now, her father appears in the catacombs as he did in his last moments, hanging from the ceiling. Another character, George (Ben Feldman) feels guilt for leaving his brother behind, in another caving accident; his brother died by drowning. This duo of characters must share their feelings of guilt, in order to escape Beelzebub. Through the sharing of their guilt they are able to let go of previous tragedies. The film's central crux is also the primary character arc. Guilt is one feeling that offers very little value in the film and in real life.

In the end, As Above, So Below is an enjoyable horror outing. Dowdle has worked on previous horror titles, including Quarantine (2008). Quarantine was a remake of the Spanish film [Rec] (2007). It is good to see Dowdle branching into more original work. The writing here offers a compelling mythology, involving the gates of hell and an ancient Pharaoh's tomb. Sideplots are relegated to a burgeoning love story. However, the central storyline offers enough conflict to entertain. Each of the characters are developed just enough to provide interesting backstories and believable connections. Though, viewers will want to steer clear of attachments for any of the more minor characters; minor characters fare poorly in horror, especially here. Even the final frames offer an unsettling scene or two as the characters search for a way out of the catacombs. As Above, So Below is a true thrill ride.

This film is currently in theatres and most horror fans would find something to like here. Full of tales of mysticism, As Above, So Below unifies a number of film elements to create a suitable horror tone. Characters struggle with their own inner demons, late in the picture and the serious approach to the material helped create some compelling action. Guilt hinders the characters, but only temporarily. The only thing missing from the film was a visit from the Lord of Lies, himself. Otherwise, the film is a very entertaining time spent in a very haunted location.

Overall: 7 out of 10.


The film's homepage can be found here:

As Above, So Below Official Website


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