As Above, So Below
As Above, So Below
(2014)
A Review by Grant Kanigan
Directed by: John Erick Dowdle
Written By: John & Drew Dowdle
Starring: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman
Edwin Hodge
Rating: 14A
Release Date: August 29th 2014
Release Date: August 29th 2014
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| Perdita Weeks & Ben Feldman in As Above, So Below Photo by Bruno Calvo - © 2014 - Universal Pictures |
I've been a horror fan for years. From the brutal killings featured in the Friday the 13th series, the nightmarish hell of Freddy Krueger, the brute evil of the original Halloween, the visceral rush of the original Saw, to the self aware skewering in the Scream films, the late eighties and early nineties, (with the exception of Saw), were a fantastic time for horror. The horror films of late have been antithetical to the classics. Often boring, unoriginal, extremely cheap, and pandering to the lowest common denominator with their PG-13 ratings, the horror genre of today has gotten stale. It's either a prequel to a sequel in the atrocious Paranormal Activity franchise, (the original of which was one of the worst films I have ever seen), or a gore filled, messy remake, void of any thrills, horror or social commentary. However, the best horror films defy easy characterisation. The Shining was almost all psychological, Alien was completely atmosphere until the action packed ending, and John Carpenter's The Thing was both psychological and action packed. Each has it's own unique twist on the horror genre, and remain pinnacles of the horror genre. As Above, So Below takes it's cues from this trio of classics, and adds a dose of it's own originality to boot.
Known for their minimalist thrillers that have been hit and miss in the past, (Quarantine, Devil), the Dowdle brothers have finally hit their stride. As Above, So Below, tells the story of Scarlett, (Perdita Weeks), who holds two Phd.'s, in history and symbology; she speaks four living languages and two dead languages. She's on a quest to finish her father's work, who was searching for the mythological 'sorcerers stone,' which, with some help from her engineer/ex-boyfriend George, (Ben Feldman), and videographer Benji, (Edwin Hodge, of Chicago Fire fame), is found to be buried beneath Paris, in the heart of the Catacombs. What follows is a descent into madness, all the while questioning the audience if what we're seeing is real or just the characters hallucinations, until the group of spelunkers' terror becomes all too real. The claustrophobia and psychological torture are enough of a scare without any help from the supernatural. Yet, the hallucinations and terror are given heft through the use of classical literature and biblical scripture. Dante Alighieri's first book of the Divine Comedy, Inferno is referenced when the group finds an opening labelled "Abandon all hope, ye who enter," a famous quote wherein Dante finds a door to the seven circles of hell. As well, there are subtle warnings of trumpets in graffiti on the wall as the group enters the Catacombs, another subtle reference to the biblical seven trumpets of heaven, from the book of Revelations; a warning to sinners that the holy seventh seal has been broken, and the Rapture is on it's way.
All in all, this cohesion of psychological and religious terror is pitch perfect. Dowdle slowly ratchets up the tension as we plod along, until it reaches a fever pitch. This atmospheric approach works well for the material too. Instead of immediately assaulting us with monsters and ghouls, and a semester's worth of historical information, Dowdle slowly adds more and more so the audience never has to immediately question if what's happening is genuine, and wilfully allows the suspension of disbelief. The audience is Dowdle's prey, like a frog bathing in slowly boiling water. The choice to film with hand held cameras is also an unconventionally wise one.
Usually annoying and unnecessary, the found footage genre is a tired and unoriginal cinematic endeavour. The only films that made good use of the idea were The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. Yet, like great filmmakers before, Dowdle takes something old and tired and makes it fresh. This cinematic revitalization is via Benji, a fictional videographer. Instead of having a handheld camera bobbing around, we're led to believe the troupe of explorers is being filmed by a professional videographer, who is also part of the story. As well, the idea of each character having a camera installed on their headlamp is brilliant. This gives the filmmakers the freedom for different angles, shots and perspectives without losing the claustrophobia of the found footage genre. It's a risky move, but it works well here.
Finally, the acting in As Above, So Below is surprisingly good. We easily believe that Scarlett is a privileged egomaniac searching for her academic treasure, that George is a worried ex boyfriend, and that Benji is a capable and intelligent videographer who questions the safety of the groups exploits. Although it works wonders here, we don't always need crazy set pieces or monsters to scare us as an audience. The terror of being trapped underground is already terrifying. Sanctum, was a fantastic thriller about such a subject, but was failed by an overuse of gore and some bad acting, (still, it's final scene always sends chills up my spine). The Descent was decently scary yet was let down by an insistence on idiotic underground beasts, and The Cave was simply an awful retread of The Descent. Like, I've mentioned before, As Above, So Below's insistence on mixing the unsettling atmosphere with terror slowly, and carefully works well. This is a film made with care and precision.
Overall, As Above, So Below, is a creative, terrifying and taut horror thriller, and is better than most horror films that have come out in the past decade. It's also a nice change to see a female as the lead actress and hero of the film, instead of the stereotypical white, American male. If you're a fan of horror, scares, or just a decent flick, As Above, So Below is more than worth your time. Dowdle is a risk taker, and I can't wait to see what he does next. He did take a lot of risks with this film; hiring a cast of relative unknowns, using a tired genre and actually filming in the Catacombs. Thankfully, his risks pay off handsomely.
Known for their minimalist thrillers that have been hit and miss in the past, (Quarantine, Devil), the Dowdle brothers have finally hit their stride. As Above, So Below, tells the story of Scarlett, (Perdita Weeks), who holds two Phd.'s, in history and symbology; she speaks four living languages and two dead languages. She's on a quest to finish her father's work, who was searching for the mythological 'sorcerers stone,' which, with some help from her engineer/ex-boyfriend George, (Ben Feldman), and videographer Benji, (Edwin Hodge, of Chicago Fire fame), is found to be buried beneath Paris, in the heart of the Catacombs. What follows is a descent into madness, all the while questioning the audience if what we're seeing is real or just the characters hallucinations, until the group of spelunkers' terror becomes all too real. The claustrophobia and psychological torture are enough of a scare without any help from the supernatural. Yet, the hallucinations and terror are given heft through the use of classical literature and biblical scripture. Dante Alighieri's first book of the Divine Comedy, Inferno is referenced when the group finds an opening labelled "Abandon all hope, ye who enter," a famous quote wherein Dante finds a door to the seven circles of hell. As well, there are subtle warnings of trumpets in graffiti on the wall as the group enters the Catacombs, another subtle reference to the biblical seven trumpets of heaven, from the book of Revelations; a warning to sinners that the holy seventh seal has been broken, and the Rapture is on it's way.
All in all, this cohesion of psychological and religious terror is pitch perfect. Dowdle slowly ratchets up the tension as we plod along, until it reaches a fever pitch. This atmospheric approach works well for the material too. Instead of immediately assaulting us with monsters and ghouls, and a semester's worth of historical information, Dowdle slowly adds more and more so the audience never has to immediately question if what's happening is genuine, and wilfully allows the suspension of disbelief. The audience is Dowdle's prey, like a frog bathing in slowly boiling water. The choice to film with hand held cameras is also an unconventionally wise one.
Usually annoying and unnecessary, the found footage genre is a tired and unoriginal cinematic endeavour. The only films that made good use of the idea were The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. Yet, like great filmmakers before, Dowdle takes something old and tired and makes it fresh. This cinematic revitalization is via Benji, a fictional videographer. Instead of having a handheld camera bobbing around, we're led to believe the troupe of explorers is being filmed by a professional videographer, who is also part of the story. As well, the idea of each character having a camera installed on their headlamp is brilliant. This gives the filmmakers the freedom for different angles, shots and perspectives without losing the claustrophobia of the found footage genre. It's a risky move, but it works well here.
Finally, the acting in As Above, So Below is surprisingly good. We easily believe that Scarlett is a privileged egomaniac searching for her academic treasure, that George is a worried ex boyfriend, and that Benji is a capable and intelligent videographer who questions the safety of the groups exploits. Although it works wonders here, we don't always need crazy set pieces or monsters to scare us as an audience. The terror of being trapped underground is already terrifying. Sanctum, was a fantastic thriller about such a subject, but was failed by an overuse of gore and some bad acting, (still, it's final scene always sends chills up my spine). The Descent was decently scary yet was let down by an insistence on idiotic underground beasts, and The Cave was simply an awful retread of The Descent. Like, I've mentioned before, As Above, So Below's insistence on mixing the unsettling atmosphere with terror slowly, and carefully works well. This is a film made with care and precision.
Overall, As Above, So Below, is a creative, terrifying and taut horror thriller, and is better than most horror films that have come out in the past decade. It's also a nice change to see a female as the lead actress and hero of the film, instead of the stereotypical white, American male. If you're a fan of horror, scares, or just a decent flick, As Above, So Below is more than worth your time. Dowdle is a risk taker, and I can't wait to see what he does next. He did take a lot of risks with this film; hiring a cast of relative unknowns, using a tired genre and actually filming in the Catacombs. Thankfully, his risks pay off handsomely.
Grant's Rating: 4/5
Ben Feldman in As Above, So Below: "Piano in the Catacombs"
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