As Above, So Below

As Above, So Below

Starring Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, Francois Civil

Directed by John Erick Dowdle

The Story:
Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) is an adventurer who's seeking out the fabled Philosopher's Stone after her father goes mad trying to find it himself, since this artifact supposedly has the power of eternal life.  She enlists her linguistics friend George (Ben Feldman) and documentary filmmaker Benji (Edwin Hodge) to travel into the catacombs of Paris to find the stone, along with guide Papillon (Francois Civil) and his friends.

As they explore the skeletal walls of the catacombs, each of them come into contact with their old demons, as it seems they slowly descend into the very pits of hell itself.

The Synopsis:
"As Above, So Below" is a unique found-footage film in that it was the first movie that got permission by the French government to film in the actual catacombs.  Back in the 1700s, bodies were littering the city and the stench was so fowl that they literally threw millions of skeletons into holes and sealed them up, creating the catacombs below Paris - a place where there's more bodies than living bodies above.  Seeing the actual catacombs is an eerie visual, that only adds to the claustrophobia and tension the film provides.

The film also takes liberty from the famed classic novel "Inferno" by the literary genius Dante, as the adventurers seemingly move down the different levels of hell before reaching the heart itself.  With each level, they come face-to-face with their demons, and what they choose to do with them determines if they live or die.  It's intriguing and promising, with lots of tension and terror to boot.

When it comes to the acting, there's nothing stellar or terrible about it, except it's sometimes hard to understand lead actress Perdita Weeks due to her accent.  Otherwise, everyone delivers a fine performance.

For me, it's films like this that are truly terrifying, because I absolutely hate tight spaces.  "Buried" and "The Descent" are also excellent films to see if you want to be terrified, and "As Above" is a much-needed addition to that list.  It's been out for awhile, but I never got around to watching it - now I'm glad I did, because it was a stellar, extraordinary tale.

The Summary:
Filled with claustrophobic moments, an intriguing story, and compelling characters, "As Above" rises above other found footage films and creates a truly eerie atmosphere.

The Score: A