By Jeremy Hannaford (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: September 17, 2014
Like many great horror films, As Above, So Below pays homage to iconic films of the genre. It has elements of Neil Marshall’s cult hit The Descent and the classic Blair Witch Project — films set in a situation where the characters are lost, afraid, and no longer in control. Yet As Above, So Below inadvertently steals the essence of what made those films iconic, lethargically presenting it as its own rather than molding it into something new.
As Above, So Below does succeed in pulling the viewer in right off the get-go. We are introduced to Scarlett, the determined archaeologist in search of the Philosopher’s Stone associated with the French alchemist Nicholas Flamel. While her character heavily borrows elements from the protagonists of Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones, it doesn’t come across as total rip-off — yet.
Upon entering the catacombs, the horror elements of darkness, claustrophobia, and disorientation develop immediately. Playing off these natural fears through “found footage” creates a deeper connection to the group’s experiences.
Rather than relying on jump scares, As Above uses the location as a means of instilling fear into the viewer by building up a supernatural aspect to it.
While intriguing, this has been done before, most recently in the 2013 film Devil’s Pass. But the narrative and direction stay intact so well that these moments can be forgiven through the first half.
It’s when the film begins to actually delve into the supernatural that it begins to fall apart. This transition is neither subtle nor logical. In The Descent, the monsters of the cavern didn’t appear on screen until two-thirds of the way through the film.
But As Above, So Below instead pulls a random assortment of monsters and apparitions out of a hat. Moments straight out of other films now begin to become downright offensive; scenes play out identically to moments in The Last Crusade and Paranormal Activity. The film’s originally enticing identity begins to fall apart.
Found footage films are becoming a dime a dozen. If directors want to keep it fresh, they need to add a new way of documenting the tale, no matter how absurd it may be.
As Above, So Below tries nothing different, and as the film’s credibility begins to deteriorate, these faults become inexcusable. In the case of this film’s concept, it certainly isn’t groundbreaking but it could have at least tried to add something commendable.
After having started with such an intriguing premise, creative team John Erik and Drew Dowdle apparently couldn’t think of virtually anything for the later half of the film. Instead, they abandoned the film’s original horror traits and went with bland jump-scares and laughable effects.
It becomes blatantly obvious that the Dowdle brothers had no idea how to finish their movie.
As Above, So Below doesn’t fail as a bad horror film; it is a standard horror film. But it does fail for not meeting its full potential and leaving so much to be desired.
