As Above, So Below (2014)
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A group of explorers ventures into the Catacombs of Paris in search of the philosopher's stone, only to be confronted by supernatural forces.
The story
Polymath and archaeologist Scarlett Marlowe continues her late father's search for the legendary philosopher's stone, an alchemical substance allegedly capable of turning base metals into gold or silver and granting eternal life. After obtaining the "Rose Key" artifact in an Iranian cave, she travels to Paris. Her search becomes the subject of a documentary filmed by Benji. Assisted by her friend, Aramaic translator George, she uses the key to solve a riddle that points them towards the Catacombs of Paris. When they are unable to access a specific tunnel, they recruit a local guide, Papillon, and his companions to help them navigate the underground labyrinth.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Scarlett Marlowe seeks the philosopher's stone, an alchemical substance for eternal life. After obtaining the 'Rose Key' in Iran, she travels to Paris with her team, including Benji and George. They enlist Papillon, a local guide, to navigate the Catacombs of Paris. After a tunnel collapse forces them into a dangerous path, they find a tomb holding the stone. Scarlett seizes it, but a booby trap separates their companions. They discover a hidden passage marked with 'as above, so below' and enter an inverted mockery of the catacombs. Here, they are hunted by supernatural forces; Benji and Papillon are killed by spirits of their sins, and Souxie is murdered by La Taupe. Scarlett discovers the stone's power resides within her and confronts the spirit of her father. After a final ritual of confessing sins, the survivors emerge near Notre-Dame. Scarlett concludes her journey was about finding truth rather than material wealth.
- First release year
- 2014
- Runtime (minutes)
- 93
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Erick Dowdle
- Writers
- Drew Dowdle · writer; John Erick Dowdle · writer
- Cast and characters
- Perdita Weeks · Scarlett Marlowe; Ben Feldman · George; Edwin Hodge · Benji; François Civil · Papillon; Marion Lambert · Souxie; Ali Marhyar · Zed; Pablo Nicomedes · La Taupe; Hamidreza Javdan · Reza
- Genres
- horror; adventure
- Themes
- sacrifice; sin; alchemy
- Tone and mood
- claustrophobic; supernatural
- Premise and plot tags
- found footage; mystery
- Source material / true-story basis
- Inferno (Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy)
- Reception
- The film received mostly negative reviews from critics but was a box office success, and it gained a large cult following on streaming platforms.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 30% · scale: percentage · review count: 79; Metacritic · score: 39 · scale: 100 · review count: 24
- Production trivia
- First film granted permission to shoot in the actual Catacombs of Paris.; First film released under Legendary's deal with Universal.; The film was shot in the real catacombs of Paris, including off-limits areas.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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