As Above So Below
Via Vision
The Stats
Video: 1080p High Definition
Audio: DTS-HD 7.1 (LPCM 2.0 available in menu)
Subtitles: SDH
Buy it HERE from Diabolik or HERE from Via Vision (AUD)
by "Doc" Hunter Bush
The Movie: 4 star
I am not a Found Footage guy by nature. For some folks, that's their jam, and while I can rattle off a handful of FF movies that I think absolutely own bones, I usually go into watching one with a bit of skepticism. So when I tell you that As Above So Below is one of my favorite examples within the genre, know that it didn't end up near the top of the heap on a whim. Saying that this is one of my favorite examples of Found Footage will potentially rankle some more hardcore FF enjoyers because, admittedly, As Above So Below does everything it can to differentiate itself from the rest of the pack. It has a reasonable budget for starters, access to unique locations, and frequently dips its toe into other genres like Raiders of the Lost Ark-style adventure, and The Da Vinci Code-style puzzle-solving thriller. These are things I inherently enjoy, having grown up idolizing Indiana Jones, and I appreciate the ways these choices expand the boundaries of what a Found Footage film can be!
Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) is, for lack of a better term, a tomb raider looking to carry on the research obsession of her late father: finding the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary key to Alchemy. Following clues found in Iran in the kind of thrilling, high-energy opening sequence you don't often get in Found Footage, Scarlett finds herself headed to the catacombs under Paris with a small crew in tow. Among them, a documentary filmmaker named Benji (Edwin Hodge), fellow adventurer George (Ben Feldman) with whom she has some kind of past, and local urban explorers Papillon (François Civil), Souxie (Marion Lambert), and Zed (Ali Marhyar). While most of the cast are vague archetypes, the relationship between Scarlett and George does just enough to widen the scope of the world that, when the film ends, I find myself wanting to know more about them.
The nature of Found Footage makes it a really tempting genre for inexperienced filmmakers because, in general, it doesn't have to look what we in the industry call "super good". Similar budgetary constraints mean most FF films reuse the same locations: the wilderness, some abandoned buildings, etc.; rinse and repeat. None of these are negatives necessarily, but it can get monotonous. Being able to film in not just Paris, but the actual catacombs (!) is a come-up on a grand scale.
Story and performance-wise, As Above So Below skirts a very fine line. Some of the turns, and the performances around them, can be corny at times, but when balanced with the grittiness, tension, and genuine claustrophobia of the rest of the film, they feel like someone turned the pressure-release valve. Some of the effects or scares may feel a little chintzy, but the overall ambition of the rest of the piece more than makes up for them.
The Packaging: 4 stars
The Limited Edition from Australian label Via Vision is rad! The box cover is a lenticular version of the cover image--a concentric design of skulls leading down to an inverted Eiffel Tower--that's just very fun. Inside is the Blu-ray in a discrete case and an envelope with six photo-cards from the film. The sturdy outer box is always a plus. Nobody wants their packaging to fall apart from normal wear-and-tear.
The Video: 3.5 stars
Since this is a Found Footage film which uses some digital bodycam style footage, with occasional stylistic digital distortion, there's some built-in visual hiccups. It's also only like a decade old, but still: this looks great. The amount of variety that director and co-writer John Erick Dowdle and cinematographer Léo Hinstin manage to wring out of these catacomb locations is impressive, and even on a blu-ray, the details pop: subterranean dust picked up in a headlamp, or the occasional pops of color on ancient hieroglyphics.
I think the fact that this is Found Footage actually works to trick the audience somewhat. I kept being pleasantly surprised by certain moments and scenes, visually. The script, co-written by brothers John Erick and Drew Dowdle, is extremely well-paced, with long stretches of cavern or tunnel traversal broken up by puzzle or trap rooms, which are seen in greater detail, for longer, and generally lensed with a bit more control and care. These moments are where As Above So Below really separates itself from the majority of other, similar in concept Found Footage films.
The Audio: 3 stars
I use a three-channel soundbar, simply to keep my tv from vibrating itself apart. To that end, the 7.1 audio wasn't going to be where I staked my claim on this one, though I did check it out during a few key scenes. Overall, both settings had the same problem, though it was much less pronounced in the 2.0 mix. That problem is: volume. Though As Above So Below doesn't feature a standard score, it does occasionally use sound to scare you. Which means, every so often, things get loud in a very rumbly, or droning, sounds-of-the-damned sort of way.
On both audio settings, my soundbar buzzed quite a bit in these sequences, though significantly less-so on the 2.0. In addition to that, much of the dialogue is pretty quiet when contrasted with the louder moments, which is one of my pet peeves. I like to find a volume level and then never have to grab the remote again. It breaks the immersion for me. But that aside, this sounds great. I mentioned that the film is light on traditional score, though they did get composer Keefus Ciancia to create sort of soundscapes that wouldn't sound out of place in the catacombs, which, once I started listening for them, I found really creative and well-utilized.
The Special Features: 4 stars
I was previously familiar with As Above So Below, so when I threw this disc in for the first time, I jumped straight to Alexandra Heller-Nicholas's extremely well-researched commentary track and bonus features, and they really gave me a new appreciation for the film. Heller-Nicholas recites a number of very informative quotes gathered from various interviews with the filmmakers and cast, as well as pointing out several filmmaking techniques used throughout, and when I later went back to watch the film, I really enjoyed looking out for them.
Heads up that the Inside 'As Above So Below' featurette is from a previous Universal / Legendary release, but the other special features are specific to this disc.
- Audio commentary from film critic and author Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- To Hell and Back - video essay by filmmaker and Dread Central editor-in-chief Mary Beth McAndrews
- Beyond the Catacombs - interview with actor Ben Feldman
- Shooting Underground - interview with director of photography Léo Hinstin
- Inside 'As Above / So Below' - archival featurette
- Theatrical trailer
- Limited Edition packaging also includes six photo cards
In Summary: 4 stars
Everyone wants different things from a horror movie, and that's great, but it does make recommending a horror film occasionally feel a bit daunting. Even more so when that film falls into a subgenre with a passionate fanbase. Still, I honestly feel like As Above So Below is a pretty high-quality film and a very fun example of what horror can be: conceptually diverse.
This also means that (* Robert Stack, Unsolved Mysteries voice *) if you or someone you know is looking for a way into the Found Footage genre, and especially if you enjoy the more adventure film style aspects present here, As Above So Below is a solid recommendation. This release specifically also has the added bonus, for aspiring filmmakers, of offering plenty of insight into the filmmaking process on a project of this type through the included special features.
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