Connect with us
deep fear

Movie Reviews

[Fantastic Fest ’22] ‘Deep Fear’ review: Too much going on in the Paris catacombs

As above, so below.

Welcome to another installment of 31 Days of Halloween! This is our chance to set the mood for the spookiest and scariest month of the year as we focus our attention on horror and Halloween fun. For the month of October we’ll be sharing various pieces of underappreciated scary books, comics, movies, and television to help keep you terrified and entertained all the way up to Halloween.


Deep Fear takes place in the catacombs of Paris and deals with skinheads, Nazis, and has something to say about modern Parisian society. It is a part-thriller, part-horror, and throws in a bit of found footage. In other words, it has a lot going on. Sonia (Sofia Lessafre) and Max (Kassim Meesters) want to take their best friend Henry (Victor Meutelet, Emily in Paris) out for one last good time before he begins his mandatory military service. A tour of the rubble under Paris begins with hesitant excitement, but soon leads to danger the group could never have imagined.

The movie does a better job of handling the idea of fear better than the actual scares themselves. Being lost in a sprawling network of tunnels underneath a large city is frightening. Areas are tight and lighting is sparse. As Deep Fear progresses, the friends along with their guide Remy (Joseph Olivennes) head deeper underground and have no sense of direction. Along with the sense of claustrophobia, rats and dangerous traps are introduced. Again, they are something to think about rather than be scared of.

[Fantastic Fest '22] 'Deep Fear' review: Too much going on in the Paris catacombs

It is an odd feeling for the audience. Instead of conveying an actual sense of terror, Deep Fear makes people watching think, “That would suck if it really happened.” This would seem to make the movie more immersive, but that never happens. Part of this may be due to the lack of any sense of urgency. Things move at a quick pace, but even at around one hour and twenty minutes, the film seems very long. People scream, run, and look scared, but it all just feels like a series of moments rather than something to actually be frightened of.

Which is dismaying since the film does so many things right. Once the action picks up, there are some nice gore effects. The story builds to these moments, with things becoming increasingly violent. There are also lots of genuinely funny moments in Deep Fear. The characters may be a little too laissez faire, but they sound like real people plucked off the streets. Director Gregory Beghin also does an excellent job of paying attention to details. This is seen most by the attention given – and not given – to a pair of shoes.

Unfortunately, what stands out most about Deep Fear is how much stuff is going on. The skinheads that are so important early on are a nonfactor for the vast majority. Even though the focus is on the three friends, a number of peripheral characters are introduced with the end result being no one leaves an impression. Even the big bad is underwhelming. This is underscored by how easily the threat is dealt with before a predictable and nonsensical ending.

Deep Fear releases on Screambox October 11

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024 WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024 AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

AEW Dynamite preview, full card: February 28, 2024

Pro Wrestling

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024 AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup