By Melissa Antoinette Garza
There is almost nothing that I enjoy more than going to the movies with my best friend Meghan Winkler. Recently, we had the good fortune to see OCULUS (2013) which was one of the best films of the year. We have also seen absolutely horrible movies. YOU’RE NEXT (2013) for example was laughably awful. Thankfully, even when movies are bad, Winkler and I have a good time making inappropriate and immature jokes.
I am not a fan of the found-footage style movies. There are always exceptions to the rule, but I can’t stand the shaky-cam mockumentary trend. I don’t like the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (2009) style productions. I also don’t enjoy the fact that filmmakers utilize this type of movie-making to be lazy. If it’s “found footage” there can be as many holes or unanswered questions because all we have is what was left behind. Now, there are some found footage movies that work. Some are able to rise above the norm and for those who actually appreciate the horror genre can make a quality film using the camera as an asset rather than an anchor to fall back on when critics ask why the conclusion lacks any logical sense.
When As Above, So Below began, I thought the worst. I went in expecting what I’ve seen a thousand times before; and as the lead character came on the screen, I thought I was right.
Our main start emerges in Iran. Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) is on a bus wearing a hijab planning to go into the catacomb to obtain some information that her father wanted prior to him committing suicide. Her father was an Alchemist who everyone thought was mad. He was convinced that a key to all the magic existed somewhere, but he didn’t know where.
My initial issue was that Scarlett who was attempting to blend in and not be caught was talking into a camera and wearing eye liner and make-up. Though, the question of whether Muslim women should wear make-up is a debated issue, it appears that all who support the hijab are either completely against it or advise to wear very little as not to reveal their adornment.
Now, I am not an expert about Iranian laws or how strict the Muslim faith is about such things, however I do believe that a woman wearing eye-liner, in a fashion that reminded me of Cher circa 1971, would be noticed. Scarlett reminded the audience multiple times that if she was caught, she would be killed. With death being the threat, I think Scarlett could have done more than wrap a hijab around her neck. A little cold-cream to take off the make-up would have definitely assisted in her plan.
Okay, so with that nitpick out of the way, Scarlett finds a statue of a bull representative of Moloch. She finds out that the search for a key her father had been looking for was in fact real, and in France.
She enlists her reluctant love-interest George (Ben Feldman). Together with a crew of weird punk/hipster French douchebags who like to tag the catacomb with spray-paint, they go down beneath the earth to search for treasure and the key to/of Alchemy.
Strange things begin to occur almost immediately. Women in white are holding a seance in one corner of the catacomb. George begins to see his dead brother Danny in water. Scarlett sees her father hanging from his rope.
There’s a few jump scares and definitely an over-use of the shaky cam. That said, overall this was a compelling, suspenseful and original picture. Many compare it to THE DESCENT (2005). The only similarities I see are that both films are of the horror genre, take place underground and utilize claustrophobia to frighten the viewers. Beyond that, I think the plots are quite different. I would say that this is actually closer to a horror version of THE GOONIES (1985).
I would certainly recommend this movie. It’s loud, crazy and definitely not subtle, but it does try to bring some realism into the movie. There are scenes that realistically reflect the actual tunnels underneath France. I wasn’t scared to death during the movie, but it did have its moments. It flew by and it actually had a decisive ending. Nearly everything was explained even though the answers were more simplistic than the filmmakers would want the viewer to think. Basically without any spoilers the answers are as follows “it’s the Devil” “it’s magic” and “the power was within you the whole time.”
Still, I had a lot of fun and felt like I was on a roller-coaster. I will say that in the beginning they torture the only African American cast member. Poor Benji (Edwin Hodge). It wasn’t bad enough to utilize a name synonyms with a cute and sweet stray dog that everyone loves, but then they had to torture him too! Not only did I feel bad for the man Benji, but I couldn’t help but think of the dog as well. I grew up on those movies!
Anyways, I cheered when another member of the group was cut and hurt. I said, “finally someone else gets it!” I wish Benji was the sole survivor – but no spoilers here. You just have to see the movie.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7.5/10 Mess with Benji…He’ll Send Cujo After Your Ass!
