*Some spoilers follow.

This weekend a movie came out that nobody’s talking about. It’s also one of the scariest movies I’ve seen in years.

As Above/So Below, from the filmmakers behind The Poughkeepsie Tapes, Quarantine and Devil, was surprisingly neglected by the film community, probably because it looked to be “just another found-footage” horror film in a sea of over-saturation. Shit, I love the Dowdle brothers and even I nearly waited for the VOD release (shame on me!). Thankfully, my cousin was in town and dragged me out to see what will go down in history as an underrated, forgotten cult classic.

As Above/So Below’s plot is simple, yet extraordinarily rich in mythology (so much so that it leads to dozens of OMFG payoffs). Opening in a series of events that felt like a hat-tip to the “Safe Haven” segment of V/H/S/2, Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) discovers a “lead” to her father’s lifelong hunt for a priceless gem. She recruits an old friend/lover who deciphers clues that lead them on a journey into the infamous Catacombs deep under Paris. The film has a sort of Last Crusade vibe to it, until they finally enter the actual Catacombs. Once down there, what begins as cliche horror quickly turns into a carnival ride of terror. The best way to describe the movie is to liken it to a Halloween haunt maze – what’s scary is being trapped in small space, heading in one direction, and not knowing what’s hiding around each and every corner. The biggest difference is that, while a maze is a “safe place,” these Catacombs are a physical manifestation of HELL. Unlike many of its ilk, As Above/So Below actually crosses over into the unknown and takes viewers literally into Hell. When the horror elevates, the scares start coming in droves, making it impossible to breathe. (I can’t even to begin to tell you how fucked things get without spoiling it.)  The Dowdle brothers have no fear and are completely unapologetic in their escapades. What proceeds is an onslaught of demonic imagery and terror that some may find laughable, while others (including myself) will consider horrific.

One of the only real problems with the film is the finale, which took the safe way out instead of going to a dark place. I do applaud, though, the fact that the filmmakers chose not to end with the atypical “camera hits the ground and they all die.” It works on the same level of falling off a cliff only to land on a ledge. Man, that was close…

As Above/So Below is a found-footage movie that shows that the subgenre can still work when it’s not abused. It’s astoundingly authentic, which could be the main reason why it’s one of the scariest movies in years. And even though it has its flaws, I champion the terrifying As Above with the highest praise possible.

As above, so. fucking. scary.

Review updated to clean up typos, include rating, and amend headline.