Miles of twisting catacombs lie beneath the streets of Paris, the eternal home to countless souls. When a team of explorers ventures into the uncharted maze of bones, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead. A journey into madness and terror, As Above/So Below reaches deep into the human psyche to reveal the personal demons that come back to haunt us all.

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Video Quality

As Above, So Below comes to Blu-Ray via Scream Factory with a 1080p transfer that represents the found footage aesthetic to perfection. This film was first released on Blu-Ray in 2014 courtesy of Universal, and we can only assume this uses the same base master. This is one title that some factions will be confused as to why this did not warrant a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray release, but the combination of a 2K Digital Intermediate and the found footage conceit probably made this one less appealing for such an undertaking. The disc looks about as strong as one would like, but the lack of a 4K upgrade will probably make this a less urgent upgrade for most fans.

With a found footage movie, you are observing as much fine detail as the source will allow. In stable, bright shooting environments, you get a strong amount of texture on clothing and the city landscapes. Even when you start going underground, there is typically a pleasing amount of detail when it comes to the bones that line the walls or the reservoir of blood that eventually coats some of our explorers. Black levels stand firm and provide a strong amount of depth and detail. There is a slight bit of banding in certain moments, but outlines hold up pretty well. Highlights hold together without succumbing to blooming. The color palette is natural and saturates the screen when called upon. A 4K UHD Blu-Ray could potentially fine-tune some minor issues, but this new Blu-Ray release is still a winner and should be enjoyed by fans.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 7.1, 5.1, and 2.0 Master Audio track that all represent the feature without a hiccup. From bombastic moments like a cave-in to more subtle thrills like the unexpected ringing of a telephone, this track delivers. The low end provides some vital texture that fleshes out the world without being overly aggressive. Environmental noises are represented perfectly to make you feel as if you are underground with the characters. Dialogue comes through clearly even when the track gets a bit more chaotic and unpredictable near the end. The audio experience radiates out with confident fidelity. Scream Factory has provided a stellar audio experience that handles this one well. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

Abandon All Hope – Directing As Above/So Below: A new 27-minute interview with director John Erick Dowdle who discusses his early success that led to more opportunities, the challenges of shooting a found footage film, the production of the film, the inspiration for the story, shooting in the catacombs, and more.

What Lies Beneath – Producing As Above/So Below: A new 14-minute interview with co-writer/producer Drew Dowdle who discusses the early work with his brother, writing for a found footage film, the casting process, and more.

Inside As Above/So Below: A nearly four-minute archival featurette that gives a broad overview of the story and the catacombs.

Original Theatrical Trailer (3:32)

Final Thoughts

As Above, So Below is one of the sleeper horror outings from the found footage horror subgenre. The mixture of claustrophobic cave traversing with the existential surreality of potential eternal damnation (not to mention puzzle solving) makes this one an absolute blast. There is some stilted dialogue and ridiculous leaps of logic that bring this down ever so slightly, but it truly entertains throughout its expeditious runtime. Scream Factory has provided the film with a new Blu-Ray release that delivers a strong A/V presentation and a couple of cool new special features. If you are a big fan of the film and want some special features to enhance the experience, this is the release to get. Recommended

As Above, So Below (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.