As Above, So Below (2014) #385

"As Above, So Below" is another horror movie filmed in the shaky-cam/found footage tradition, which is about a young, highly educated, "Laura Croft" type of woman who goes along with her videographer, a friend, and three Parisian guides into the catacombs beneath Paris in search of the Philosopher's Stone; they find the mythical but they also find and enter the gates of Hell. stone butThis movie is perhaps the shakiest of all of the shaky-cam films that I've seen recently, which means that those who are suffer from motion sickness will want to avoid this film. For those who can stomach such visual rides, "As Above, So Below" is worth checking out if you enjoy startling, jump-in-your-seats type moments. If you're more of a horror film connoisseur, you may find yourself a bit disappointed. The film ends with several loose ends and various questions unanswered; this leaves the viewer wanting to know more and feeling a bit cheated. The reason for this is because the script itself strays from the premise and promises that it sets for itself; for example, if the adventurers are experiencing elements from their own personal Hell, then why are there other unrelated elements being presented?

Overall, I enjoyed the most of the film but I was hoping for a little bit more.

The Purge (2013)

Like most of the people I know, I was expecting something more from "The Purge". Unlike the other home invasion horror films that have been recently made, such as "You're Next" and "The Strangers", the audience is given the reason why the killing and violence are about to happen. That doesn't say that there aren't any sudden twists of reveals in "The Purge", only that the characters know ahead of time that the violence is coming or is at least possible. So why did "The Purge" fail to live up to expectations? For me, the movie felt more like an action flick than a horror film. There's little reason to be scared when the victims know why they're being scared, knowing full well that the killers are not insane.


The annual Purge is about to commence, a patriotic holiday of sorts where the American population is allowed to commit murder, rape, and assault on anyone they like, except for high ranking government officials. The Sandin family is your typical well-to-do family unit, with father James as the bread winner, earning his wealth by selling the very security systems that is going to keep his family safe. He has a beautiful and caring wife, Mary, a teenage daughter, Zoey, who is seeing a boy too old for her, and a tween son, Charlie, who doesn't agree with the meaning behind the Purge. It's because of Charlie that the Sandin family becomes involved with a group of Purgers after Charlie opens the security doors and lets an unknown man into their home after he begged for help. It's only a matter of time before the Purgers force their way in and try to Purge the world of their chosen target as well as the Sandin family.