Review by Bindi Lavelle
A genuinely creepy offering from the producers of Saw, Catacombs provides constant building tension.
Victoria, (Shannyn Sossamon) is a nervous American, who eats anti—anxiety medication like potato chips. When Victoria receives a postcard from her sister Caroline (Alecia Moore aka Pink) telling her simply to go to Pairs, Victoria packs her bags and heads off. Caroline meets up with Victoria in the French capitol and takes her to a rave in the catacombs, a series of intricate tunnels beneath the city serving as a mass grave.
Following a police raid, the sisters are separated and this is where things go very wrong for Victoria. Alone and lost in the catacombs, Victoria flees from her phantom pursuers.
The film builds great psychological tension thorough simple film techniques; the only light source is Victoria's torch (flashlight) which give the viewer flashes of the catacombs to create a mental picture with. There is also the chase scenes, which never really show you the pursuers, creating unease and forcing you to question the sanity of the protagonist.
The bulk of the film is all lead up, to what you may ask? A less that satisfying climax. This is the film's major flaw is that the conclusion simply doesn't equal the momentum of the film. While the film doesn't end badly as such, the resolution doesn't satisfy you after Victoria's wild scary trek through the catacombs.
Overall Catacombs does provide a good dose of suspense, reminiscent of films like Hostel and The Descent (also produced by Twisted Pictures). While the ending is average, it is still an enjoyable scary ride. 7/10