‘Miles below the Earth, it has awakened’
It Came from Below is a 2021 British science fiction horror film about a group of friends who are hunted down in a cave by a vicious creature… from another world.
Directed and edited by Dan Allen (Mummy Reborn; Unhinged) from a screenplay co-written with Sam Ashurst (Vampire Virus; A Little More Flesh and sequel). Produced by Scott Jeffrey (Rats Reborn; Bad Nun: Deadly Vows; Don’t Speak; Cupid; ClownDoll).
The Jagged Edge Productions–Proportion Productions movie stars:
Megan Purvis – The Mutation; Medusa; Rise of the Mummy; The Young Cannibals
Becca Hirani – Bad Nun: Deadly Vows; Mummy Reborn; Mother Krampus
Tara MacGowran – Virtual Death Match; Mandy the Haunted Doll; The House on Elm Lake
Georgie Banks – Hatched; The Mermaid’s Curse; Cupid
Kate Sandison – The Curse of Humpty Dumpty; Spider from the Attic; Amityville Scarecrow
Jake Watkins – Tooth Fairy: The Root of Evil; Don’t Speak; Cupid
Antonia Johnstone – War of the Monsters; Dinosaur Hotel; The Leprechaun’s Game
The creature was designed and created by David Foxley (The Curse of Humpty Dumpty; Amityville Cornfield; Don’t Speak; Cupid; Sniper Corpse; Silverhide).
Reviews:
“The creature’s pretty good value and although it doesn’t feature in the movie that much, this is probably for the best. Domestic disputes (another hallmark of UK low budget horror flicks) are kept to a minimum, and Purvis makes for a convincingly terrified protagonist. I’m going to guess from some of the exterior shots that the shoot was a cold and damp one, which really adds to the atmosphere of dread.” Dark Eyes of London
“Scenes inside the cave are creepy and atmospheric, setting the stage well before we see any sign of an onscreen creature. Because we actually care about these characters (or, at least the siblings), the horrors of It Came from Below are far more tangible […] Suspension of disbelief is necessary, mainly when approaching the latter half of this story. If you still find yourself pining for The Descent Part III, then It Came from Below may just scratch that cave-monster itch.” Josh at the Movies
“The creature itself is supposed to be an alien who has been stranded on Earth but we see no proof of it. And there’s probably better ways to get back to wherever it came from than hiding in a cave and eating people. Especially as it seems to have some kind of telepathic powers that like everything else It Came from Below’s script leaves very vague. The creature at least looks good with a bug-like head and nasty looking claws […] Mildly diverting but badly flawed It Came from Below is better than a lot of Jeffery’s output…” Voices from the Balcony
Release:
It Came from Below will be released worldwide by Uncork’d Entertainment on Digital on September 7, 2021.
Cast and characters:
Megan Purvis … Jessie Harper
Becca Hirani … Ranger Grace
Tara MacGowran … Georgie
Georgie Banks … Joanna Frake
Kate Sandison … Melanie
Jake Watkins … Sam Turner
Antonia Johnstone … Leanne
Zoe Purdy … Zuza
Howard j Davey … Ranger Frank
Tom Taplin … Marty Allen
Stuart Packer … Jessie’s Dad
Luke Bailey … Thomas
Richard Lovell … Follower
Tony Goodall … Priest
Luke Robinson … Creature
Trailer:
MOVIES and MANIA says:
Clearly indebted to The Descent, certain plot points are vague and as with most cave-bound films, there’s a lot of wandering about in the dark. And yet, It Came from Below is surprisingly effective so all credit to director Dan Allen and co-writer Sam Ashurst plus composer Greg Birkumshaw (Bats).
The people-making-stupid-decisions trope is well in effect but that’s a fact of real-life as evidenced by idiots taking selfies near the edge of dangerous locations… and then meeting their doom. If anything, the lesson for scattershot director-producer Scott Jeffrey is that life isn’t simply about trying to make a few quid from a flimsy film shot as fast as possible.
As exemplified by his Medusa (which also stars talented Megan Purvis), Jeffrey can utilise budding filmmakers’ talents to create movies that make money and can also be appreciated as worthy genre efforts.
It Came from Below is worth exploring despite yet more irritating attempts at straddling the North Atlantic market via false Americanisms. Don’t expect miracles but it’s certainly a step in the right direction for low-budget Brit schlock.
