It Came from Below (2021)

When you think of incredible horror films set underground, does 2005’s The Descent come immediately to mind? Have you always wished that particular masterpiece had had more than one sequel? If so, you may want to take a gander at It Came From Below.

It Came From Below is the story of siblings Jessie (Purvis) and Sam (Watkins). Their father, who died tragically during a cave expedition gone wrong, has left behind a series of incredibly intriguing journals. In his journals, he tells the story of a group of cave-dwelling aliens that once attacked him and a companion during a previous expedition. (Although he escaped with his life, his companion wasn’t so lucky.) Plus, no one quite believes the tale anyway, having written its author off as a crackpot a long time ago.

Now Jessie and Sam have made up their minds to prove their father’s stories correct by capturing video proof of the creatures’ existence. So they plan an expedition of their own, inviting their friend Marty (Tom Taplin) and Sam’s girlfriend (Georgie Banks) along for the ride. However, as one might expect, things don’t quite go as planned when the aliens turn out to be just as vicious as Jessie’s father said they were. As it turns out, getting the footage was the easy part. It’s getting out again in one piece that proves to be the real challenge.

Granted, It Came From Below owes quite a lot to its predecessor, The Descent, and similar films. You’ll see that right away in the general premise and how the plot uses drama between the characters as a secondary plot device. However, Allen does make an effort to do something a bit different here.

Plenty is going on here, and there’s a lot to see, so this film isn’t plagued by the slow spots you see in many similar works. The horror elements are well-executed, intense, and as strange as you could hope for from any low-budget creature feature. The atmosphere of the cave setting is also appropriately creepy, set off to perfection by smart lighting choices and camera work.

However, you will need to suspend some measure of disbelief when watching this film. The script could use some work here, as it leaves many critical things about the characters and storyline unclear, including the exact relationships between some of the characters and why the aliens are allegedly trapped on earth in the first place.

And you will find yourself yelling at your screen in response to some of the poor decision-making you’ll see these folks engaging in. For one thing, this group isn’t anywhere near as prepared as you’d hope, considering all that’s at stake. The aliens are scarier left at least partially unseen, as well, as the alien suits could use a little work – a telltale hint at the film’s shoestring budget.

However, as flawed as this film is, it still manages to be pretty entertaining. The pacing is excellent, the action is solid, and the scares are satisfying when they do come. And the attention paid to the claustrophobic, oppressive atmosphere will fulfill a lot about your ongoing craving for other Descent movies. So if you’re a fan of creature features, cave movies, or low-budget horror in general, give this a watch the next time you’re in the mood for more of the same.