A team of explorers venture deep into the Paris catacombs to find an unearthly treasure, but are soon trapped among the spirits of the dead.

HORROR

As Above, So Below (2014)

Directed by John Erick Dowdle

Written by John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle

Starring Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, 
​François Civil, Marion Lambert, Ali Marhyar, Cosme Castro

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Connor Eyzaguirre

July 5, 2020

8/10

I had incredibly low expectations for this found footage horror flick. I had heard from countless sources that it was dull, confusing, and just plain stupid at times. So, I shelved it and it took an impending podcast episode to finally get me to watch it. Holy hell, was I deceived. While not perfect, As Above, So Below is an intense thriller and a brilliant modern-day retelling of Dante's Inferno combined with the always intriguing myth of the Philosopher's Stone. The characters are likable and intelligent, and the film really shines a light on the inherent darkness of the Paris catacombs, literally and figuratively.

Our heroine is intrepid explorer and truth seeker Scarlett Marlowe (Weeks), who has been searching for the fabled Philosopher's Stone all her life. When she finds a crucial clue in Iran that leads her to Paris, she recruits her old friend George (Feldman) and navigator Papillon (Civil) and his crew to help her find a secret tunnel in the Paris catacombs. The crew actually filmed in the catacombs, by the way, just to add to the terror. What they find in the secret chambers of the catacombs drives them mad and pursues them, leading to a crazy ending that will alienate some viewers, but rewards those who are familiar with the unofficial source material.

As Above, So Below is a hidden gem that got unfairly panned upon release and has since been forgotten except by the most hardcore horror fans. It deserves a second glance, and it should be a mainstream hit. It's a very smart movie that doesn't spoonfeed the audience and instead, expects the audience to reach their own conclusions by connecting the many dots hidden throughout the film. It's like a treasure hunt all on its own.