As Above, So Below [Blu-ray]

I love this film. It took me into another world with all my lights off on my 90" Screen. It was amazing. It was a found footage film about a girl having her search recorded so how can you expand on the characters she knows and hires? It makes sense since we are seeing just the footage recorded. The only issue with this movie was the over the top burning car scene. It wasn't spooky or creepy and in tone with the rest of the film. They also could of had a few more subtle, unnerving hell denizens since they were in actual hell.

Actually, it turned out to be a very interesting movie. I liked it.

A group of wanna-be Indiana Joneses go spelunking in the forbidden parts of the Paris Catacombs and get trapped inside. As they're forced to go deeper and deeper, things start getting weird and creepy. I've always been forgiving if a horror film has a story I enjoy, and I really did enjoy this. No, it's not incredibly scary. There are a few moments of good suspense and one of two jump-scares that work, but I didn't find myself on the edge of my seat. The premise is simple, even if it's not particularly unique. If you watch the trailer, you can probably guess where the story goes. Hell, even if you don't watch it, you can probably predict where it's going to go within 30 minutes. But, I admire how the story plays out. The have a concept for their story and they unapologetically go full-bore with it. They use the atmosphere of the setting to great advantage and they obviously have a lot of fun playing with it. They're willing to push the story to the brim of believability and then say, "Screw it, let's go over-the-top," in the final 20 minutes. And, as far as I'm concerned, the vast majority of it works. Not only does it work, it works with style. They treat their audience with respect by expecting them to add-up the clues as the characters are adding them up. Not once does a character explicitly say what's going on, they just allow the situation to be obvious in due time. All the technical requirements are met. The acting it strong, it looks and sounds good -- well, as good as a found-footage film should look. As far as the found-footage-ness goes, you don't need to worry about vomit-inducing shakey-cam, which is always a bonus. The set design is strong and atmospheric, probably because they used the actual catacombs. While trying to think of cons for the film, right now I only come back to one scene involving a burning car. I won't go into details, but it uses some CG that doesn't quite work, but which I'm willing to forgive since it marks the beginning of the film really going over-the-top. The final few minutes are brilliant. I loved that ending.

Super scary but it was awesome. I don’t usually like horror movies however I would watch this over and over

An adventure-horror movie? Yes please! While higher budget among its subgenre, this is definitely one of the better found-footage horrors on the market in my opinion, but more for its style, genre-crossing and concepts than its horror filmy-ness. Director and co-writer John Erick Dowdle (The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Devil, Quarantine) clearly adored the Indiana Jones (1981-1989) and National Treasure movies (2004, 2007), and he wears this adoration proudly on his sleeve as archeology professor Scarlett (Perdita Weeks; Penny Dreadful, Prowl) is joined by tinkering rogue and fellow adventurer George (Ben Feldman; Friday the 13th), her cameraman Benji (Edwin Hodge; The Purge 1-3) and renegade catacomb spelunker Papillon (François Civil) in their pursuit of the Philosopher’s Stone, an artifact sought for its arcane powers of alchemy. They investigate relics in cathedrals, translate dead languages to solve riddles, uncover clues leading to more sleuthing and yet more clues, all just to bring them to the doors of their adventure. Guided by Papillon’s cave-diving team, they illegally “break in” to parts of the catacombs no longer meant for human navigation, traversing parts long forgotten and unknown. Strange people and superstition abound the catacombs as readily as wayward cultists and lost souls. Very early into their journey things begin to go wrong. Cave-ins trap and redirect them, crevices lead to impossible locations where perhaps impossible things have happened, and secret doors enable their passage through this ancient pyramid-like Labyrinth. Scarlett’s once-tidy plan unravels and her team is faced with a curio of encounters that feel as if they are spelunking their own subconsciouses, if not their own purgatory, as they wander yet deeper into the catacombs encountering riddle after ancient booby trap after secret corridor and yet new clue. To escape: “the only way out is down.” The first hour of this movie is all dark but lively adventure and practically no horror. Although the next 30 minutes shift gears strongly. There are some brief brutal scenes, macabre curiosities, and a hallucinatory menagerie of personal demons. Kind of strange: when I first saw this movie, I was unimpressed and somehow managed to remain completely unenamored by the Ford-Cage adventurer-sleuthing honorarium before me in the horror genre. Yet now, I just… adore that aspect of it! It’s not the best horror film out there, but it strives to be different in its genre while exploring some cool history and concepts. Consider Mark’s movie review, which addresses the abysmal Rotten Tomatoes score. I guess I get it… since upon my first watch, I didn’t get it as much. But I think it’s worthy of a “lower-end fresh” on RT. If for no more than its novelty, I strongly recommend this film. If you read this far and still remain on the fence, check out this podcast discussion (which will include spoilers).

This is a horror movie about finding the philosopher's stone in the catacombs beneath Paris, France. A young archeologist continues her deceased father's mission using clues from his readings and research. She enlists the help of her former lover, a young cameraman, and a couple of catacomb enthusiasts to try and find it. From the minute she solves the first clue the haunting begins and it continues to get worse the further they go. One of the things I really liked about the film was the uniqueness of the horror, which while scary to anyone is specific to each of the characters. I enjoy the personal touch based on the history of the character, it's almost like reading a good book. I recommend everyone see it at least once, but I will be watching this one again and again.

Excelente producto, muy buena calidad

As a form of spelunking, similar to The Descent in a way, but utilising the 300 km of underground tunnels and spaces that form the historic catacombs under Parisian streets as the basis for this film, it works very well on a similar level. Basic story involves the daughter of an archaelogist/scientist involved in ancient artifacts - the film begins in Iran where she finds the key to translate archaic writings to looted treasure, allegedly buried somewhere in the catacombs. She cajoles a group of like-minded friends and associates to go clandestinely into the catacombs, into hitherto uncharted areas searching for this fabled looted treasure. It all begins to unravel as they become hopelessly lost and seemingly going round in endless circles, where the rather unremarkable portal to hell is discovered. All the characters find they have to face their fears and secrets, some tragically and bizzarly. This, for me at any rate, is a very claustrophobic film at times and genuinly creepy and well worth the admissionn price. Maybe not to everyone's taste and much as I like The Descent, I found this far more disturbing. It did make me look up any references to the catacombs under Paris on youtube and there is a good one called the Mysteries of the catacombs, which is an intriguing insight into the whys and wherefors of them.

En mi opinión, de las mejores películas de terror contemporáneas. Viene con audio y subtítulos en inglés, español, francés, Italiano y Alemán.

John Erick Dowdle makes horror thrillers that surprise you by encouraging low expectations, and then delivering a better film. Devil seemed like hokey, lame stuff - but ended up being a slickly delivered supernatural suspense thriller. Similarly, 'As Above So Below' tells us to expect yet more of the over-abundant found footage nonsense that's filled the marketplace - but delivers a better written and directed experience than expected. A team of young urban archaeologists seek the help of a cocky French 'urban explorer' and his crew, and soon they're under the streets of Paris, scouring the tunnels for a hidden secret. Catacombs that were used as mass graveyards are a bad place to find out that something supernatural may be going on, but soon the director begins to notch the tension tighter, as detours and strange discoveries take the movie in wilder directions. It's nicely written, with effort put into mythology, scares and creepiness. The direction is very slick and effective as well, giving us moments of eeriness in abundance as well as the typical 'jump' scares, and also a few inventively unexpected scenes that startle and play with perspective. Where a lot of found footage films rely on the filming method to cover up a low budget and a lack of scares, this one uses it to make you feel like you're in the thick of it, and trick you into lowering your expectations. The actors vary between competent and very good, and are distinctive enough to easily tell apart in the crowded tunnel scenes. Creepy, fun and a nice change.

Excelente calidad del producto, llego en tiempo y forma.