As Above, So Below (2014) Review – A Fun, Claustrophobic Goonies-Style Adventure For Adults

Welcome to Knockout Horror and to another found-footage horror movie suggested by Reddit. Today we are taking a look at the very well-loved As Above, So Below (2014).

Beloved by the found footage community

I don’t think a fairly middle-of-the-road horror has ever gotten as much attention as As Above, So Below does on Reddit. This film is brought up at least once a week in both found-footage and horror sub-reddits.

“I don’t think a fairly middle-of-the-road horror has ever gotten as much attention as As Above, So Below does on Reddit.”

While I don’t follow any of these communities myself; my fiancée often relates, to me, just how much people love this film. My fiancée and I were hyped for this movie shortly before its release. When we first watched, we absolutely hated it.

There was bags of shaky-cam, tons of people shouting at each other, generic horror fodder and a rather lacklustre story didn’t make for great viewing. It was immediately forgettable and it stayed that way for a few years. Will our most recent viewing clue me in as to why people love this movie so much?

As Above, So Below follows the story of young scholar Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) who is continuing her late father’s search for the philosopher’s stone. After obtaining information that suggests she may find it somewhere under the streets of Paris. Scarlett gathers together a group of explorers and fellow researchers to head deep into the twisting catacombs buried under the city. Little does she realise, she may find more than she expected.

I enjoyed it more on a second watch

On a second watch, I did actually enjoy the movie more. I still think it is a fairly average horror and I have given it an extra half a point purely because, as far as found footage goes, it is one of the better examples. But, with that being said, it’s not terrible. It is a fairly watchable, dare I say it, enjoyable movie. Don’t get me wrong, it trips itself up frequently, has a bunch of plot holes, and has a complete lack of scares. But the almost Tomb Raider-like sense of adventure is a lot of fun.

The movie plays out, initially, as a documentary being made about Scarlett’s search for the Philosopher’s Stone. Hence why she always has a camera person with her, in this case an American man called Benji (Edwin Hodge).

She enlists the help of an old flame called George (Ben Feldman) to help her decipher dead languages and the three of them join up with a group of Catacombs experts to look for the lost artifact. If that seems like a bloated cast to cram into tiny tunnels underground, that’s because it is. We need victims, though.

Hey you guys! It reminds me of The Goonies…

The whimsical sense of adventure underground kind of offers As Above, So Below an 80’s kids adventure movie feel. Almost like The Goonies but for adults. There’s traps, hidden treasure, exploration and cramped spaces. I was almost waiting for one eyed Willy to pop his bony head out from around one of the corners. It’s quite a lot of fun.

“The whimsical sense of adventure underground kind of offers As Above, So Below an 80’s kids adventure movie feel. Almost like The Goonies but for adults.”

Scarlett is a great protagonist and, despite basically dragging a bunch of innocent people into near certain death. Her Lara Croft-like sense of discovery is really enjoyable. It’s nice to see a woman portrayed as both brave and capable in a horror rather than in the typically misogynistic simpering and useless manner.

The maze-like structure of the catacombs offers plenty of spaces for exploration and keys up a few moments of tension thanks to the confined nature. You never quite know what is around each corner and the use of alternate perspectives keeps the cast twisting and turning with no real idea of their direction. Sure, it gets repetitive pretty quickly and sometimes makes little sense but it works well for the theme.

Everything else is just plain old adventure movie style fun. Running from scary things, jump scares out of nowhere, near death situations and plenty of claustrophobic shenanigans. It’s fun! It’s worth noting that As Above, So Below was the first movie to actually secure filming permission in the actual catacombs so everything here feels fairly authentic with the exception of a few fairground-quality looking sets. I am sure fans of Dante’s Inferno are going to enjoy some of the references here and there is actually a fair bit of depth to some of the story elements if that is your thing. It’s really not all that bad.

Obviously there are issues

Scripting issues rear their ugly heads every now and then. Some of the conversations sound a bit inorganic and awkward. Silly little things like foreign language riddles somehow rhyming in English, and other such nonsensical happenings, can be found throughout. There are a few minor subplots specific to each character’s past that don’t really land and feel fairly tacked on. And some of the camera work is very much guilty of all the usual found-footage sins of that 2009 — 2015 era.

“The movie isn’t at all scary, either. It relies more on the atmosphere and tension created by the location itself.”

Some of the first person running action scenes feel like something out of a virtual reality game. The movie isn’t at all scary, either. It relies more on the atmosphere and tension created by the location itself. Something which may work for some and not for others. The ending leaves tons to be desired as well, feeling like a major anti-climax after all that huffing and panting.

Acting is okay. Perdita Weeks stands out and totally gets her character, she does a great job and is a lot of fun. Edwin Hodge has some real standout moments as cameraman Benji, you can tell he was really giving his all to the performance. There are a few moments of comedy here and there that lighten the mood a bit. The cast have fairly decent chemistry, as well, throughout. I have to imagine this was built up from filming is such a strange environment.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.