Horror movies have become so formulaic that new ones struggle to find original ground to cover. The genre has fallen into formulaic letdowns that are as predictable and susceptible to ridicule as romantic comedies. “As Above, So Below”, directed by John Erick Dowdle (“Quarantine”), is no exception. With cinematography reminiscent of “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity,” the film fails to introduce anything new or memorable to the genre of horror and suspense.
Scarlet, played by Perdita Weeks (“Prowl”), is a Ph.D student with an eye for adventure. After her father is driven mad to the point of suicide over his search for the Philosopher’s Stone, Scarlett sets on a quest of her own, believing the treasure to be hidden within the Parisian catacombs. Together with her ex-boyfriend George (Ben Feldman, “Cloverfield”), cameraman Benji (Edwin Hodge, “The Purge”), two locals and a graffiti artists familiar with the underground maze, Scarlett sets out to find the stone that can turn lead into gold and unlock the secrets to immortality. Here are some people with cameras, seeking to expose a treasure where approximately six million skeletons lay to rest. What could possibly go wrong?
While there were definitely a few scares, the most disappointing aspect of the film was its lack of character depth and development. Obviously, the team gets trapped and lost within the catacombs. It becomes apparent that they cannot be released until they face whatever they feel regret or guilt about.
In effect, however, this does nothing to heighten suspense or shock as the characters do not reveal anything except the guilt they are carrying before they are subsequently killed. Their nightmares become irrelevant with only one minor detail per character and the deaths become predictable. Concurrently, the “found footage” format does not quite fit with the fantasy tomb raider themes of the plot.
“As Above/So Below” is a typical film for its genre. The Parisian catacombs were initially intriguing as a setting for a horror flick. The storyline had potential, but was ultimately a disappointment with the lack of plot and character development which could perhaps have made the film scarier and memorable. If you’re looking to jump in your seat a few times, by all means go see it. If you’re looking for something new in horror, you won’t find it here.
“As Above, So Below” (R, 93 min) opened in theatres nationwide on Aug. 29.
