It Came from Below

Jessie Harper won't leave her father's warning alone, so she and a small group of friends go down into the cave system where he says something killed his colleagues. As they push deeper into the tight, dark passages they find evidence that whatever he feared might be real, and the claustrophobic environment turns every sound into a threat. Tension rises as the group's search for answers becomes survival, with trust fraying and choices getting sharper the further they move from daylight. The film follows their attempt to learn what happened without giving away surprises about the creature or the final outcome.

Released in 2021, the film was directed by Dan Allen and created by Sam Ashurst, with Megan Purvis, Tom Taplin, Jake Watkins, Georgie Banks and Howard J. Dave leading the cast. It arrived through independent channels rather than a major studio slot.

It opened on a limited theatrical and digital run, targeting genre audiences through VOD and festival screenings, and did not register as a wide commercial hit. Public box office figures are modest and the movie found most of its viewers via home platforms and word of mouth.

Among horror fans the movie sparked conversations about cave-set monster stories and low-budget creature filmmaking, with particular attention paid to its underground location choices and practical creature effects. It developed a small following online, especially among viewers who enjoy indie takes on monster cinema and tense, enclosed-set thrills.

Critical response was mixed, reflected in a user vote average around 5.1 out of 10 from a small sample. Reviewers tended to note the film's ability to create atmosphere and dread in confined spaces, while pointing to uneven pacing and underdeveloped side characters. The story focuses on themes of isolation, fear of the unknown, loyalty under pressure and the cost of chasing an answer that may be more dangerous than the mystery itself.