As Above, So Below Review: Exploration Of The Catacombs Of Paris Via Found-Footage Approach; Naturally Creepy Setting Whose Embedded Thrills Are Not Fully Used?

"As Above, So Below" review plunged the viewers into a fearsome exploration of the underground catacombs of Paris. But just like a field trip, the participants who were eager at first, ended up having mixed reactions - half of them not completely satisfied - when the trip was over.

The Box Office Prophets mentioned in their "As Above, So Below" review that the film effectively prepared their explanation and rebuttal to every possible criticism people may have for their use of the found-footage approach. They were making a documentary using hand-held cams, and that explained everything - the shakiness and the reason why every cast seemed to have their own cams.

But the creators have employed a different approach that boosted the suspense, making the film more horrifying: the cams were not always directed at scenes when significant actions took place. Overall, they noted how the film effectively melded supernatural horrors with the universal fears most people share - fear of the dark, dying through drowning and being confined in cramped spaces.

However, in the "As Above, So Below" review of the New York Times, the reviewers were not as amused. They likened the experience of watching the film to viewing a colonoscopy. The major difference: instead of going through the intestinal tract, the movie directed the eyes towards the undergrounds of Paris known as the catacombs, as seen through the footage of an inexperienced nervous physician.

The Chicago Reader noted that the premise in itself was compelling enough with its natural mysterious creepiness. But they said that the film wasted all these qualities.

The film lost the natural tension people were expected to feel when exploring tight, dark spaces because of the hackneyed exchange between the characters topped by their poor performances.

SFX  stressed out that the movie was horrifying and emotionally compelling in some parts. Overall, the film was not done well enough in their opinion.