It Came From Below has a title that harkens back to the drive-in horror movies of the 1950s or the B Horror of the 1980s. It is neither and is actually reminiscent of 2005’s The Descent. After her father dies following a cave expedition, Jessie (Megan Purvis) and some friends set out to prove what her father said was true. But is trying to capture a cave monster on camera really a good idea?
It comes as no surprise that much of the movie is dark – the majority of it takes place in a cave. What is odd is how it is used. Instead of the darkness of unlit spaces, It Came From Below, often decides to go pitch black. If it was only done once or twice, it may work. But it does it a number of times and becomes more frustrating than anything else. Adding to that is the film is incredibly quiet. At times, it goes almost completely silent. It takes away from the suspense instead of adding to it.
Another issue is some of the decisions the characters make. It is a running joke just how dumb the decisions of potential horror movie victims can be. Things go beyond that here and would even be hard for longtime horror fans to accept. Most glaringly, the whole premise of It Came From Below is built on the group going to capture footage of a monster. All they take with them are their cameras and some flashlights. The monster is a proven killer, but they decide to not to take anything that might defend them.
That being said, It Came From Below has a lot working for it. Though the lighting kills some of the tension, the cramped setting leads to an atmospheric story. The creature design is also fantastic. There are some teases early on that lead to a satisfying reveal. Things can get pretty confusing at times, but the movie will scratch the creature feature itch.
It Came From Below comes to on demand and digital September 7
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