As Above/So Below is a frightening descent into the human psyche & the Parisian catacombs
With a relatively unknown cast and a setting in the creepy catacombs lurking below the streets of Paris, does ‘As Above/So Below’ deliver on pre-Halloween season scares?
Ah, Paris. It’s been about a decade since I visited the City of Lights during my junior year of college. With its alluring architecture, decadent foods, plethora of historical sites I’d always dreamed about in books, and dizzying array of lights, my heart was easily stolen like countless other hearts before mine. Little did I know what was sinisterly lurking just beneath its streets – an impressive catacombs network hosting the remains of somewhere between 6 and 7 million people. I’d never thought about it before, but this is an enticing setting for a horror movie. Kudos to Universal Pictures and the filmmakers of As Above/So Below for coming up with such a fresh, brilliant concept.
As Above/So Below features the most impressive movie poster artwork I’ve seen in a while. Perhaps you’ve noticed it while driving or walking by your local movie theater. You can’t exactly miss a crimson poster with a picture of an upside-down Eiffel Tower surrounded by skulls. It’s a very striking visual and it made me want to see this movie even though it didn’t star any big names and I knew next-to-nothing about its writers, director, etc. And while some critics out there aren’t raving about it, I’m glad I saw it.
As Above/So Below is like a mash-up of Indiana Jones and The Blair Witch Project. That’s perhaps the best way I can describe it. The story revolves around a young archaeologist’s quest to locate the fabled philosopher’s stone, continuing the work of her late father. The movie is done like a mock documentary with narrative and the shaky hand-held camera style made popular by The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield. If you’re not a fan of the shaky cam style or are in any way claustrophobic, this is probably not the best movie for you to see on the big screen. Fair warning: it made my roommate dizzy and nauseous, but I was fine. Continue reading 'As Above/So Below is a frightening descent into the human psyche & the Parisian catacombs' »