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Trapped under Paris…will anyone get out alive?

Can a genre have too many sub-categories?  How many films does it take to make a sub-genre?  Catacombs joins The Descent, The Cave, and The Cavern in a recent trend to make claustrophobic underground horror movies.  I’m not sure if four films a sub-genre makes but it does show a trend.  From the producers of SAW, Catacombs is a decent horror film that uses low light, shadows and some nice plot twists to create some nice chills and thrills.

Victoria (Shannyn Sossamon) gets a postcard from her sister to visit her in Paris.  She packs her bags and it’s off to the land of baguettes and wine. Victoria has some issues.  She’s on a bunch of meds to help her with her extreme anxiety.  Her sister Carolyn (Alecia Moore a.k.a. Pink), who has to be one of the world’s biggest bitches, picks her up from the airport and takes her home.  From the moment they reunite, Carolyn is constantly picking on her sister.  Tired and jetlagged, Victoria wants nothing more than to just relax at her sister’s pad but Carolyn has other plans.  They’re going to a huge rave in the catacombs under Paris. 

At the rave, Victoria is told about a cult of the Black Virgin that stole a little boy, chained him up and raised him on raw meat turning him into a sub-human killing machine that wears a goat’s head as a mask.  Supposedly, the kid broke free, killed his captors and is not running free in the miles of underground catacombs.  When the police raid the catacombs, Victoria gets trampled and knocked out.  When she awakes, everyone is gone and she’s locked in the tunnels below with a killer.

Much scream, running and waving of flashlights ensue as Victoria runs around trying to escape.  Director’s Tomm Coker and David Elliot do a competent job with the film but the limitations of the script, especially the implausible ending, keep the movie from being really good.  The two leads do an adequate job of selling the story.  Sossamon carries the film as she runs from one place to another.  It’s easy to believe that she’s been pushed to edge.  Being produced by the creators of SAW, you can expect some wildly inventive plot twists towards the end.

The writing/directing team of Coker and Elliot provide an informative commentary track.  They provide lots of great details about the film and fans will enjoy all the tidbits they have to share.  “Inside the Catacombs” has comments from the cast and crew interwoven into the scenes from the movie.  “The Making of ‘Blue Butterfly’ with Violet UK” covers the recording of the movie’s title song.  Finally there is a storyboard gallery with commentary by Tomm Coker.  Each of the storyboards were pretty short and an all play feature would have been really nice instead of clicking on each one.

Horror hounds will probably enjoy this passing fancy.  It’s enjoyable enough to keep fans entertained but once Catacombs is over, it will be quickly forgotten.  It is a good rental but few will feel the need to posses this DVD. Catacombs is effective but ultimately forgettable horror film.

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