If you’ve ever read my work, you may know that I am a champion for an underdog; an advocate for under-seen and unappreciated films. Well, I’m back today with a recommendation that is both under-seen and unappreciated. I am here to speak to the merits of the 2007 subterranean horror picture, Catacombs.
Before I get into what works about the film, however, allow me to begin by saying that Catacombs is certainly flawed. And while its shortcomings may have contributed to the picture’s abysmal reputation, I don’t believe it’s half as bad as people seem to think. As of the drafting of this post, the picture sits at a rating of just 22% ‘fresh’ on Rotten Tomatoes and an IMDb user score of 4.5 out of 10. Ouch.
I can understand why not everyone digs this film The twist is a lot to take in and may diminish rewatch potential for some. Moreover, there is at least one fairly noticeable plot hole. But there are still plenty of aspects to this flick that I really enjoy. It features a great setting and a couple of recognizable names, plus it has no shortage of atmosphere. So, if you can set aside what doesn’t work and focus on what does, I think you may just have a good time with this largely forgotten effort.
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The film follows Victoria (Shannyn Sossamon), who travels to France to visit her older sister, Carolyn (Pink) who is studying abroad. The siblings are total opposites and often clash because Victoria’s timidity and paranoid mindset conflict with Carolyn’s free-spirited nature. In spite of that, the two make a good-faith effort to put their differences aside and have some fun partying in the off-limits section of the Paris Catacombs. Little do they know, their good time will soon be spoiled by a bloodbath of epic proportions.
So, let’s push past what doesn’t quite work about this horror picture and spend a moment focusing on what does. I would challenge even the picture’s harshest critics to deny that Catacombs excels in establishing atmosphere. Setting the picture in the world’s largest mass gravesite lends an eerie ambiance to the proceedings. That’s used to great effect here, alongside frenetic editing and strategic use of low lighting. The notion that the primary character spends much of the film lost and alone and must navigate 300 miles of maze-like tunnels under the streets of Paris only serves to amplify the tension inherent to the narrative.
The tension doesn’t stem exclusively from the setting, however. Cowriters and codirectors Tomm Coker and David Elliot serve up plenty of effective chase sequences that see Victoria frantically running from various threats, getting hopelessly lost, and encountering various forms of calamity during her trip to Paris. And her misfortune serves as a constant source of unease.
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The Victoria character is written as being timid and afraid of her own shadow. Her tendency to perceive everything around her as a threat actually informs our perspective. Long before matters take a sinister turn, her eyes can be seen constantly darting around like she’s scanning the premises for potential hazards. Since we see the film through her eyes, that apprehension becomes palpable. And that has the potential to render the viewer ill at ease. I certainly have that reaction to the steady stream of misfortune Victoria endures.
When she’s not busy running away from something or someone, Shannyn Sossamon gives Victoria a level of depth and delivers a relatively nuanced performance here. She makes the character feel completely unsure of herself for most of the film. But the protagonist has quite the arc, allowing the actress to display a level of versatility when the tide finally turns.
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Pop singer Pink is pretty despicable in her turn as Victoria’s sister, Carolyn. She’s an instigator and takes pleasure in her sister’s misfortune. Carolyn and her friends bring an antagonistic energy to the proceedings that is often unsettling, with their reprehensible behavior making them nearly insufferable at times. But that is by design. Carolyn and company aren’t meant to be likable. Moreover, their cruel behavior serves to set up a narrative development that makes everything mostly worthwhile in the end.
If you’re curious to check this forgotten horror film out, you’re in luck. As of the drafting of this post, you can find Catacombs streaming for free (with ads) via Tubi, Pluto, Plex, and FreeVee.
Categorized: Editorials
