A trio of friends meet up in Paris for a blow-out as one of them is heading for the army. When a friend of Sonia’s (Sofia Lesaffe) promises them a day they will never forget, they go along with it. Ramy (Joseph Olivennes) takes them down into the subterranean world under the streets of the city: the parts of the catacombs they don’t take you to on the tours (so not the ossuary). They soon find themselves lost and worst still, in mortal danger as they discover a fabled Nazi bunker.

Despite being wonderfully shot, Grégory Beghin’s film has a few issues. The opening caption states that the film takes place in Paris in the eighties, yet the camera footage is all date stamped as 1991, which may sound like a small quibble, but it’s that sort of attention to detail that can derail the viewing experience. That said, Deep Fear has moments of genuine anxiety, and the claustrophobic amongst the audience will have a hard time throughout. The problem is that none of the characters are particularly likeable. We really don’t care if they never get out of the endless tunnels of the underground world. We, as an audience, want out as the atmosphere created is palpable, though. It’s a frustrating film as it works on such levels yet never really pushes further. Too many questions are left unanswered. That said, when the gore comes it’s impressively handled and although we might not have warmed to the characters, they are played believably enough.