As Above, So Below Review

Rated R (Bloody Violence/Terror, and Language Throughout)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 33 Minutes

Cast-

Perdita Weeks-Scarlett Marlowe

Ben Feldman-George

Edwin Hodge-Benji

François Civil-Papillon

Marion Lambert-Souxie

Ali Marhyar-Zed

Roger Van Hool-Mr. Marlowe/Scarlett's Father

Cosme Castro-La Taupe

Hamid Djavadan-Reza

Théo Cholbi-Gloomy Teenager

Olivia Csiky Trnka-Strange Young Woman

Hellyette Bess-Strange Old Woman

Samuel Aouizerate-Danny

Emy Lévy-Tour Guide

Kaya Blocksage-Female Curator

Directed by John Erick Dowdle

A group of explorers find themselves trapped in the found-footage horror film "As Above, So Below."

Note: Screened on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at AMC Loews 34th Street 14.

You may not realize it but when you walk the streets of Paris, France, you're actually walking across the skeletal remains of approximately six to seven million people. Dating back to the late eighteenth century, the Catacombes de Paris—located at Place Denfert-Rochereau in the Montparnasse district—are underground ossuaries that house the aforementioned skeletal remains, which were gradually relocated from a number of overpopulated graveyards such as the condemned Holy Innocents' Cemetery. With two hundred miles of tunnels and a depth of just over sixty-five feet (the equivalent of a five-story building), this meticulously arranged, macabre tableau of death would make for a fantastic setting for a horror film. Writer/director John Erick Dowdle (whose previous credits include the little-seen "The Poughkeepsie Tapes," "Devil," and "[REC]" remake "Quarantine") and his younger brother, co-writer Drew Dowdle, apparently had the same idea and have set their late-summer found-footage horror flick "As Above, So Below" in the foreboding passageways of the Paris Catacombs. The fact that they were actually permitted by the French government to shoot in the off-limit areas is a major plus because we've never really seen such a unique locale used in a feature film before. While the novelty of its real-world setting proves to be the only aspect that "As Above, So Below" has going for, the Dowdle brothers utilize it effectively, creating a creepily claustrophobic atmosphere to make up for their film's rudimentary scares and lacking script.

Following in the footsteps of her late father, brilliant archeologist Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks) has spent much of her career obsessively searching for a fabled artifact called the 'Philosopher's Stone,' which was created by legendary French alchemist Nicolas Flamel and is said to be able to turn metal into gold as well as grant a person eternal life. After finding a map of the stone's location in a hidden catacomb in Iran, Scarlett heads to Paris, France in order to recruit old flame George (Ben Feldman) to help with translations. They determine that the stone is hidden somewhere in the catacombs underneath Paris. Enlisting the aid of a group of knowledgeable 'cataphiles'—Papillon (François Civil), Souxie (Marion Lambert), and Zed (Ali Marhyar)—Scarlett enters the catacombs through a restricted entrance with faithful documentarian Benji (Edwin Hodge) and a reluctant George in tow. As the group descends further and further, they find themselves experiencing surreal events that draw them deeper underground, with each member being forced to confront their personal demons. Escape and survival become uncertain as they advance toward what seems to be the gates of Hell.

Dowdle does a great job utilizing the Paris Catacombs to sustain an atmosphere of dread in his latest film but the story is unfortunately lacking.

It's no secret that many critics aren't particularly fond of found-footage horror films but John Erick Dowdle's "As Above, So Below" is one of the better entries in this worn-out subgenre. The reason for this is solely due to the setting. In fact, I'm surprised that there hasn't been a film set in the Paris Catacombs before. Just the thought of being trapped underground surrounded by the skeletal remains of six to seven million people is already sending chills down my spine (hell, a teenage girl actually died after she got lost in the catacombs in Odessa, Ukraine!). Dowdle and his cinematographer Léo Hinstin do a great job in capturing the fear of being in a confined area with nowhere to run. There's a scene where Scarlett and the rest of the group have to crawl through a tight space filled with bones. Benji, the documentarian, becomes trapped and the sheer terror on his face will give nightmares to even the mildest of claustrophobics. The first half of the film is by far the strongest thanks to the creepy little details that Dowdle adds during the characters' slow descent through the catacombs. A telephone eerily ringing in the distance, the sudden appearance of a dusty piano, a strange cult of women singing in a hair-raising chant, these elements all contribute to a pervasive sense of dread but atmosphere can only get you so far.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

Where "As Above, So Below" falters is in the script as it feels like Dowdle and his younger brother didn't think their ideas through and simply tossed them all into the film without any thought to narrative coherence whatsoever. Without the necessary explanations to make sense of it, the third act turns into an incomprehensible mess, with reveals being so rushed that the audience is unable to feel their full impact. It's obvious that the Dowdle brothers wanted their story to have some sort of emotional catharsis with their depiction of a Dante-esque Hell that forces people to confront their personal demons (in addition to actual demons popping out of the walls) yet it doesn't work because the character development just isn't strong enough. The cast try their best, with Welsh actress Perdita Weeks making for an engaging protagonist as the wonderfully named Scarlett Marlowe, who's an amalgamation of Lara Croft and Indiana Jones. Ben Feldman, from AMC's "Mad Men," delivers a solid performance as well. Unfortunately, the remaining cast members—Edwin Hodge, François Civil, Marion Lambert, and Ali Marhyar—don't bring much to the table and are only there to support the found-footage conceit. "As Above, So Below" could've been a much stronger horror film if it was shot traditionally, using careful composition to sustain its creepy atmosphere instead of devolving into annoying shaky-cam.   

Released on August 29, 2014, "As Above, So Below" has received predominantly negative reviews with 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics agreed that the film had an 'intriguing setup' but the use of found-footage sent it plummeting toward 'clichéd mediocrity.' This hasn't exactly been a great year for the found-footage subgenre, with "Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones" and "Devil's Due" either flopping or flaming out quickly at the domestic box office. "As Above, So Below" is facing a similar situation as it barely made it over $10 million during Labor Day weekend. With weak word-of-mouth from audiences, the film is going to drop like a rock from here. Still, I don't feel this is particularly bad horror flick. The novel setting is at least worth a matinee viewing and is just enough to push it into passable territory but without a strong script, that's all "As Above, So Below" has going for itself.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5

"'Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.' According to mythology, that is the inscription over the Gates of Hell."