Connect with us

News

Theatrical Review: As Above, So Below

Published

on

As Above, So Below

The best way to explain a new movie to someone who hasn’t yet seen it is to compare it to popular, well-known movies from the past, as that quickly and easily paints a picture in the mind of a cinematic experience that hasn’t yet been experienced.

Going with that line of thinking, the best way I can describe As Above, So Below is that it’s The Goonies meets Event Horizon, fusing together the adventurous fun of the former and the mind-fuck horror of the latter.

And with that mash-up comparison, I can be pretty sure that your interest is now piqued. As well it should be.

Written/directed by brothers John Erick and Drew Dowdle, the team behind Quarantine and Devil, the awkwardly-titled As Above, So Below centers on the character of Scarlett, who is, in essence, a female Indiana Jones (Indiana… Joan?).

[youtube id=”GRrZZNyOqyY”]

A fearless adventurer on a never-ending quest for truth and knowledge, Scarlett is on the hunt for an ancient stone with untold powers, determining through much research and riddle-solving that it lies beneath the streets of Paris. Convincing a group of fellow explorers to join her, the adult Goonies head deep into the underground catacombs, discovering a terrifying secret that lies below the surface.

Yes, As Above, So Below is another in a long line of POV/’found footage’ horror movies, but the joy of the film is that it’s not quite like the others. Trading in the typical haunted house or some such other haunted location for a hellish underground cave system ripped straight out of The Descent, this particular entry in the sub-genre is refreshing enough to feel different, the unique setting impressively serving to break the inherent ‘I can’t tell this one apart from the others’ curse of found footage horror.

as1

The star of the show here is not the characters and it’s truthfully not even the story. While both are totally serviceable and more than get the job done, the highlight here is the underground setting of the film, which brings a whole lot of that wonderful A-word to the proceedings; ATMOSPHERE, of course.

Atmosphere is an element that’s often nonexistent in modern horror films and As Above, So Below has got it in spades, the underground caverns very much feeling like a hellish abyss that there’s simply no escape from. I’m surprised it took someone this long to make a movie about the real-life Catacombs of Paris and As Above mines that atmospheric setting for all it’s worth, imbuing the entirety of the movie with a claustrophobic creepiness that’s quite frankly a delight to be immersed in.

Immersion is really the name of the game here, with the found footage style making the film feel like a virtual haunted attraction from start to finish, all sorts of creepy shit popping up once the real horror element comes into play. I’m talking Grim Reapers, dead loved ones and even vampiric rock monsters – essentially, everything you’d hope to encounter in those glorious haunted houses that are erected in your area around Halloween time.

as3

While the Event Horizon comparison is thanks to the latter half’s more horrific elements, which thrust each character into his/her own personal Hell, it’s the Goonies-like first half that pleasantly surprised me, as the film is packed with a whole lot of good old fashioned adventure.

From hidden wall panels to riddles that can either kill or aid in the journey, As Above, So Below is as much of an adventure film as it is a horror film, and the fusion of the two keeps the movie engaging and entertaining every single step of the way. There’s literally not a dull moment to be found here, which is a whole lot more than can be said about most found footage movies.

Though it doesn’t exactly reinvent the POV wheel, and though the ending admittedly provides little payoff for the sheer madness that precedes it (the intended message was appreciated, however), As Above, So Below is nevertheless one of the better ‘found footage’ films in recent years, and in fact one of the better theatrically released horror films to come along in some time.

below

Rather than relying on the cliches of the sub-genre to tell its story, this little gem instead tells its own story while merely using the style as a storytelling aide, the film serving as a reminder that it’s not the style that’s bad, but rather the rampant poor execution of it. It’s unique and it totally stands apart from the pack, which is plenty enough to earn a recommendation from this particular fan.

The title is silly, and I sincerely hated speaking it aloud at my local theater last night, but As Above, So Below is a pretty damn solid horror flick, well worth you calling out its name at your local theater and plopping down the money to experience it.

So buy the ticket. Take the ride.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

1 Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

Published

on

Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

Movies

Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released

Published

on

In true Shyamalan form, he sets his film Trap inside a social situation where we aren’t sure what is going on. Hopefully, there is a twist at the end. Furthermore, we hope it’s better than the one in his divisive 2021 movie Old.

The trailer seemingly gives away a lot, but, as in the past, you can’t rely on his trailers because they are often red herrings and you are being gaslit to think a certain way. For instance, his movie Knock at the Cabin was completely different than what the trailer implied and if you hadn’t read the book on which the film is based it was still like going in blind.

The plot for Trap is being dubbed an “experience” and we aren’t quite sure what that means. If we were to guess based on the trailer, it’s a concert movie wrapped around a horror mystery. There are original songs performed by Saleka, who plays Lady Raven, a kind of Taylor Swift/Lady Gaga hybrid. They have even set up a Lady Raven website to further the illusion.

Here is the fresh trailer:

According to the synopsis, a father takes his daughter to one of Lady Raven’s jam-packed concerts, “where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.”

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

News

Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers

Published

on

Warning: This is a disturbing story.

You have to be pretty desperate for money to do what this Brazilian woman did at the bank to get a loan. She wheeled in a fresh corpse to endorse the contract and she seemingly thought the bank employees wouldn’t notice. They did.

This weird and disturbing story comes via ScreenGeek an entertainment digital publication. They write that a woman identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes pushed a man she identified as her uncle into the bank pleading with him to sign loan papers for $3,400. 

If you’re squeamish or easily triggered, be aware that the video captured of the situation is disturbing. 

Latin America’s largest commercial network, TV Globo, reported on the crime, and according to ScreenGeek this is what Nunes says in Portuguese during the attempted transaction. 

“Uncle, are you paying attention? You must sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, as I cannot sign on your behalf!”

She then adds: “Sign so you can spare me further headaches; I can’t bear it any longer.” 

At first we thought this might be a hoax, but according to Brazilian police, the uncle, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga had passed away earlier that day.

 “She attempted to feign his signature for the loan. He entered the bank already deceased,” Police Chief Fábio Luiz said in an interview with TV Globo. “Our priority is to continue investigating to identify other family members and gather more information regarding this loan.”

If convicted Nunes could be facing jail time on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and desecration of a corpse.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading