As Above, So Below (DVD REVIEW)
As
Above, So Below
DVD Review by Kam Williams
Claustrophobic Horror Flick Set in Catacombs Comes to DVD
The late
alchemist, Dr. Marlowe (Roger Van Hool) lost his mind and then committed
suicide over a futile quest for the Philosopher’s Stone supposedly hidden
somewhere in the cryptic maze of catacombs beneath Paris. Now, his headstrong
young daughter, Scarlet (Perdita Weeks), has decided to follow in daddy’s
footsteps by mounting her own search for the sacred talisman said to turn metal
into gold.
The determined Brit has
prepared herself for the dangerous trek by earning not only Ph.D.s in
archeology and symbology, but a black belt in karate to boot. She’s being
assisted in this dangerous endeavor by a team comprised of her linguist
ex-boyfriend (Ben Feldman); an African-American cameraman (Edwin Hodge); a
graffiti artist familiar with the caves (Francois Civil); plus a couple of
other local yokels (Marion Lambert and Aly Marhyar).
The motley crew’s
descent starts out unremarkably enough, despite a little gallows humor and
worries about whether they might encounter any bats or rats. The most concerned
participant is George whose little brother Danny (Samuel Aouizerate) drowned in
the cave at a young age. Adding fuel to the fear is the fact that the last time
George accompanied Scarlet on an expedition he ended up in Turkish prison.
This is the
ominous point of departure of As Above, So Below, a found-footage horror flick written and
directed by John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine). The film has all the hallmarks of
the genre inaugurated by The Blair Witch Project back in 1999, from the
claustrophobia created by incessant, extreme close-ups to the seasick
cinematography coming courtesy of handheld cameras.
Credit Perdita
Weeks as the intrepid protagonist for keeping her audience enthralled
even after the production morphs into a farfetched cross of Tomb Raider (2001)
and The Da Vinci Code (2006). Whether crawling across piles of skeletons,
deciphering ancient Aramaic messages, or fearlessly repelling down uncharted
shafts, spunky Scarlet has the ‘tude and charisma to keep you rooting for her
as others meet their fate, one-by-one.
A harrowing tale
of survival revolving around an endearing heroine every bit as brainy as she is
resourceful.
Very Good (2.5 stars)
Rated
R for terror, graphic violence and pervasive profanity
Running
time: 93 minutes
Distributor:
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Blu-ray/DVD
Combo Pack Extras: Inside As Above, So Below.
To
see a trailer for As Above, So Below, visit:
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