If you’re a fan of the 2014 found footage horror film “As Above, So Below”, you know there’s something uniquely terrifying about movies set in dark, cramped spaces. The idea of descending into the unknown depths of the earth and discovering untold horrors is a premise that taps into some of our most primal fears.
“As Above, So Below” follows a team of explorers into the twisting catacombs beneath Paris, home to the remains of millions of people. As they journey deeper underground in search of a fabled artifact, they confront terrifying visions and supernatural forces. The claustrophobic tunnels become a physical manifestation of their own inner demons.
After watching a movie like this, you may find yourself craving more horror that captures a similar feeling of disorienting dread. To help satisfy that urge, here are 19 of the best movies to double feature with “As Above, So Below”, featuring underground exploration, archaeological expeditions gone wrong, and characters pushed to the brink of madness in confined spaces. Descend into the darkness if you dare…
1. The Descent (2005)
One of the most well-known cave horror movies, “The Descent” follows a group of thrill-seeking women on a spelunking trip that goes horribly wrong. After a cave-in traps them deep underground, they must navigate the treacherous tunnels while also fending off a pack of bloodthirsty subterranean creatures.
The film is a masterclass in building tension and a sense of claustrophobia. You can practically feel the weight of the earth pressing down from all sides. And the deeper the women descend, the more they descend into primal savagery themselves. Visceral and unrelenting, “The Descent” will make you think twice before ever entering a cave again.
2. The Cave (2005)
Released the same year as “The Descent”, this creature feature follows a team of divers exploring a vast underground cave system in Romania. But they get more than they bargained for when they discover a dangerous parasite that transforms its human hosts into terrifying monsters.
While it may not reach the same heights of terror as “The Descent”, “The Cave” delivers some solid scares and impressive visuals of the cavernous environments. The unique underwater cave setting adds an extra layer of claustrophobia to the proceedings.
3. The Pyramid (2014)
An archaeological team discovers a vast pyramid buried beneath the Egyptian desert. But once they venture inside, they find themselves hunted by an ancient evil that has been waiting centuries to be awakened.
With a very similar premise and release year as “As Above, So Below”, it’s hard not to compare the two films. “The Pyramid” lacks some of the psychological depth but makes up for it with more overt supernatural scares. The ancient Egyptian mythology adds a compelling flavor to the trapped underground narrative.
4. Catacombs (2007)
A young woman visits her sister in Paris, but a night of partying in the catacombs beneath the city turns into a hellish game of cat-and-mouse when they encounter a sadistic killer.
Low budget and grungy, “Catacombs” feels like a nastier, more mean-spirited take on the “trapped underground” subgenre. The real Parisian catacombs make for an unsettlingly atmospheric backdrop for the depraved horrors that unfold.
5. Grave Encounters (2011)
A ghost hunting reality show crew lock themselves inside an abandoned psychiatric hospital for a night to capture evidence of the paranormal. But they soon find themselves trapped and tormented by the vengeful spirits that call the building home.
One of the better found footage horror movies to come out of the post-“Paranormal Activity” boom, “Grave Encounters” makes the most of its single location setting. The winding corridors and decaying patient rooms of the hospital are inherently creepy, and the film keeps ratcheting up the scares, leading to a mind-bending finale.
6. The Tunnel (2011)
An Australian news crew decide to investigate the government’s cover-up of homeless people going missing in the labyrinth of abandoned railway tunnels beneath Sydney. But their search for the truth puts them in the path of a malevolent force.
This indie found footage gem makes excellent use of its real subterranean setting to generate scares. You can sense the dank, grimy history of these forgotten tunnels, an ideal hunting ground for something sinister. “The Tunnel” was notable for pioneering a crowdfunded distribution model.
7. The Tunnel (2019)
This more recent film, also confusingly titled “The Tunnel”, is a Norwegian disaster thriller. When a tanker truck crashes in a tunnel, it creates a devastating fire that traps several families on their way home for Christmas. They must fight to survive the flames and find a way out.
While it’s a very different type of film than the others on this list, “The Tunnel” makes this claustrophobic crisis feel all too real and harrowing. The desperation of the characters will have you on the edge of your seat.
8. Buried (2010)
Ryan Reynolds stars as an American truck driver in Iraq who awakens to find himself buried alive in a wooden coffin with only a lighter and a cell phone. It’s a race against time to escape before the oxygen runs out.
More of a thriller than a horror movie, “Buried” is nonetheless a masterful exercise in suspense, with Reynolds carrying the film as essentially the only actor on screen. It wrings every ounce of tension out of its single-location, high-concept premise.
9. The Descent: Part 2 (2009)
Picking up immediately after the events of the first film, the sequel follows a traumatized Sarah back into the caves on a rescue mission after the authorities refuse to believe her story. This time, the cave-dwelling creatures are ready for them.
While it doesn’t quite recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the original, “The Descent: Part 2” is a worthy follow-up that expands the lore and delivers plenty more subterranean scares. The set pieces are bigger and bloodier, making for a fun if less surprising ride.
10. The Cave (2016)
Not to be confused with the 2005 film, this found footage horror movie follows a group of former military personnel hired by a mysterious client to explore an uncharted cave in the mountains of Japan. But the cave holds a terrifying secret.
The movie gets a lot of mileage out of its characters simply navigating the treacherous cave environment before the true supernatural horror is revealed. It taps into the primal fear of being lost in the dark with no way out.
11. Sanctum (2011)
A team of cave divers are recruited to explore one of the largest cave systems in the world. But a freak storm causes a flash flood that traps them deep below the surface, forcing them to find another way out.
Loosely based on a true story, “Sanctum” is more of a survival thriller than a horror movie. But the life-or-death stakes and James Cameron’s producing credit make it a tense, immersive experience with plenty of harrowing moments.
12. The Cavern (2005)
A group of cave explorers become trapped underground after a rockslide. As they search for a way out, they begin to suspect that they are not alone in the darkness.
While it’s a lower budget effort, “The Cavern” does a solid job of building dread and delivering some effective scares in its confined cave setting. The fractured, non-linear storytelling keeps you on your toes.
13. Beneath (2013)
A crew of coal miners become trapped 600 feet below the surface after a disastrous collapse. As they wait for rescue and try to find a way out, they begin to suspect that there may be something else down there with them.
The film does a good job of establishing the day-to-day dangers of coal mining even before the horror elements kick in. The gritty, industrial setting adds to the sense of isolation and powerlessness.
14. The Borderlands (2013)
A team of Vatican investigators are sent to a remote church in the British countryside to look into reports of supernatural activity. But they are unprepared for the ancient evil that lies beneath the church.
The film starts out as a slow burn paranormal mystery before descending into full-blown subterranean found footage horror in the final act. The ending will linger with you long after the credits roll.
15. Embedded (2012)
A news crew is embedded with a group of coal miners to report on their working conditions. But when an accident leaves them trapped, they discover that the mine may be hiding a terrifying secret.
Another found footage thriller set in a mine, “Embedded” distinguishes itself with some clever plot twists and a creepy, folklore-inspired monster. The film squeezes a lot of suspense out of the characters simply trying to navigate the dark, maze-like mine tunnels.
16. The Tunnel (2014)
In this South Korean found footage horror film, a crew of student filmmakers decide to produce a documentary about the urban legend of a half-human, half-creature living in the tunnels beneath their city. But their investigation takes a terrifying turn.
The dimly lit tunnel environments are used to great effect, and the creature design is memorably unnerving. The film also offers some biting social commentary amid the scares.
17. Stag Night (2008)
A group of friends on a bachelor party become trapped in the subway tunnels beneath New York City overnight. But they soon discover that they are being hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals living in the tunnels.
It’s a grimy, gory little indie horror flick that makes the most of its single night in the tunnels premise. The villains are memorable and the kills are suitably gruesome. It’s a lean, mean ride.
18. The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
Based on a short story by Clive Barker, the film follows a photographer who becomes obsessed with capturing the dark underbelly of the city. His investigation leads him to a serial killer who stalks late night subway commuters.
While it’s more of a serial killer thriller than a monster movie, “The Midnight Meat Train” deserves a spot on this list for its extremely effective use of creepy subway tunnel locations. It all leads to a delightfully bizarre and bloody climax deep underground.
19. Mimic (1997)
Mutant cockroaches mimicking humans lurk in the dank subway tunnels beneath Manhattan. A team of scientists must venture into their nest to stop them before they overrun the city.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, “Mimic” features some stunning creature designs and atmospheric tunnel sets. The film uses the underground setting to tap into fears of infection and infestation, with the roaches serving as a monstrous metaphor for urban decay.
So there you have it – 19 horror movies that venture deep underground to give you that trapped, claustrophobic feeling and remind you that there are some dark places that man was never meant to go. Whether it’s creatures, killers, or psychological horrors lurking below, these films will all make you think twice before descending into the depths.
