In 2014, we hit the found footage wall. While there would be several more releases throughout the years (Blair Witch!), the release of John Erick Dowdle‘s As Above/So Below would mark the beginning of the end. The film was obliterated by critics and even most horror fans. Personally, I felt it was being punished because of extreme found footage fatigue and has since been forgotten. Well, according to the Netflix app, As Above/So Below will be taking viewers on a trip to hell September 16th. It’s the perfect opportunity to revisit this gem that I feel will surprise many of you.
Mixing elements of Indiana Jones with Tomb Raider and then dipping it into blood, the film documents a young woman (Perdita Weeks) following in her father’s footsteps in an attempt to discover a rare alchemy stone. Through her father’s work, she’s led into Paris’ famous Catacombs and deeper into what will be the actual Gates of Hell.
On the surface, As Above/So Below is seemingly just another found footage horror movie, but the filmmaking prowess behind-the-scenes shows on screen. (This was clearly a complicated movie to make and Dowdle’s delivery shows extraordinary growth from his earlier found footage works, including Poughkeepsie Tapes and Quarantine (the [REC] remake).) The film is kinetic and fueled by constant energy, never really allowing the viewer to take a breath. Being an avid fan of all films Hell-related, this is one of the most realistic takes on the subject matter that attempts to bring viewers quite literally down into the underworld. The sound mix is chilling, the imagery is frightening, and it’s downright scary at times. Also extraordinarily claustrophobic, fans of The Descent could end up loving As Above/So Below more than most.
Under all the dust, dirt and cobwebs is a gem of a horror film. While As Above/So Below isn’t going to be for everyone, I do hope that it finally finds its audience that it desperately deserves. Let’s chat about this after we’ve all revisited it on September 16th.