AS ABOVE, SO BELOW (2014)
TW: Mentions of suicide.
Found footage is the one subgenre in horror that people tend to underestimate or assumptions get in the way. The subgenre is full of gems including 2014’s AS ABOVE, SO BELOW. The film follows Scarlett (Perdita Weeks) and a group of folks who travel to the Paris Catacombs to find the mysterious Philosopher's Stone. But little does Scarlett realize, she’s going to get more than she bargained for. It’s a perilous journey for the characters and is mildly based on the nine circles of Hell in Dante’s Inferno, forcing the characters endure their own personal Hells to escape.
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW is very much a found footage horror film that relies on its surroundings and how the characters are reacting to said surroundings. There’s a feeling of claustrophobia that increases from the moment they enter the catacombs. It might not do anything extremely different with the subgenre, director John Erick Dowdle and co-writer Drew Dowdle manage to capture something intriguing with this one.
After Scarlett’s father dies by suicide, she continues his quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone because that was all he ever wanted. Her desperation is what ends up landing everyone in very hot water. It’s not unusual for the main character in a horror film to be reckless, but to me, there’s nothing wrong with it in this case. Scarlett doesn’t back down, and the film wouldn’t play well if she were meek and lacked confidence regarding her knowledge or abilities. After all, confident women aren’t anything to be afraid of.
We’re introduced to Scarlett through an incredibly dramatic and harrowing sequence, as she’s in Iran to find the “Rose Key.” Scarlett is confident (as well as mildly reckless) and actually runs around caves that are being demolished. Her narrow escape proves that she’ll do anything to find the Philosopher’s Stone. But not before seeing a disturbing vision of a hanging man (something that’ll come into play later in the film). It shows the exact type of character that Scarlett is at the end of the day and sets the tone for the rest of the film.
The film doesn’t force us to deal with pointless romance that eats up an aggressive amount of runtime. However, Scarlett enlisting the help of George (Ben Feldman) who happens to be her former lover, does add an element of drama that adds more to her character. He tries to pretend that he isn’t ride or die for Scarlett. But we later find out that’s not true and AS ABOVE, SO BELOW offers a few emotional beats as a result. The found footage format makes it all feel incredibly real, and that aids to its emotional effectiveness.
As soon as Scarlett finishes wrangling together a group of people to accompany her to the catacombs, it’s obvious things aren’t right. It’s all too convenient and when the police discover them trying to go into the caves, they’re forced to go inside. Even a reluctant George, who never wanted to go with them in the first place. A literal descent into Hell begins, and the group even uncovers cultists who are chanting like their lives depend on it. AS ABOVE, SO BELOW does a good job of creating a very unsettling atmosphere.
Naturally, the whole plan to find the Philosopher’s Stone goes awry, some of the characters start meeting their demise, and Scarlett realizes that they’re in a very dangerous position upon finding the Stone. Despite its healing abilities initially, the stone stops working when they get too deep into the catacombs. And when George suffers a nearly fatal neck wound because of a spirit, Scarlett must return the stone to where she found it. It leads her to the conclusion that the power was inside her all along.
AS ABOVE, SO BELOW’s narrative direction—as far as the purpose of the Stone, what it does, and how it ends up being a pointless endeavor—might not work for everybody. It doesn’t personally bother me because of everything else that excels in the film. As someone who loves found footage horror, a movie like this is satisfying to rewatch. And it doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel to be an enjoyable watch or a personal favorite.
On the technical side, it is shot quite well and was filmed in the Paris Catacombs. Relying too heavily on CGI is something that occurs a lot in modern day horror. But AS ABOVE, SO BELOW has a good blend of both practical and CGI effects that aren’t downright awful. It’s something that’s heavily appreciated, especially for found footage because the films are supposed to come across as if they’re real.
In terms of its commentary and themes, AS ABOVE, SO BELOW tackles guilt, secrets, and what it means to own up to the things you’ve done (or haven’t done). The film could have easily taken the route of being creepy for creepy’s sake. And while that wouldn’t have been horrible, the route it took potentially makes people think of what they’re harboring as well and what would manifest in their own personal hell. It’s not a deeply analytical horror movie, but it still has something to say. All while making the characters suffer and potentially die in the catacombs.
All in all, there’s a lot to love about this underrated found footage horror gem. And if you find yourself wanting to watch a creepy found footage flick, AS ABOVE, SO BELOW is a great one to throw on for a movie night.
