Upamanyu Biswas
Directed by John Erick Dowdle, ‘As Above So Below’ is a found-footage style horror film revolving around a tenacious archaeologist named Scarlett Marlowe, who makes it her life’s mission to find the elusive legendary artifact, the Philosopher’s Stone. Driven by the unfulfilled ambitions of her world-renowned alchemist father, who himself was obsessed with the Stone, Scarlett assembles a team of people to help her find it in the deep recesses of the Parisian Catacombs. However, her journey is upended when a series of supernatural events and apparitions start haunting the crew in the bowels of the Catacombs, forcing them to fight for survival.
The movie combines the thrilling premise of a treasure hunt quest where religious themes of Hell and purgatory come to the fore. The deeper the characters venture into the abyss of the labyrinthine catacombs, the more intense becomes their journey and the obstacles facing them. As such, the story manages to capture the anxiety of a claustrophobic environment and the primal fears that arise from a marriage between hellish nightmares and personal redemption. However, the central aspect of diving into the catacombs of Paris grounds it in a pseudo-reality, forcing a deeper examination of the film’s genesis.
As Above, So Below Delves into an Alchemy Legend Through the Lens of Religious Horror
‘As Above, So Below’ is a fictional story brought to life by director John Erick Dowdle, who co-wrote the script with his brother Drew Dowdle. The siblings had always wanted to make a found footage or a documentary-style treasure hunt story with a central female character but were unsure where to set it. Eventually, Thomas Tull, the CEO of Legendary Entertainment at the time, suggested to them the idea of building a narrative in the Parisian Catacombs. While the movie is not based on any specific event, countless souls have wandered into the Parisian catacombs over the years and have gotten lost in the process.
Intrigued by the concept of setting a story down in the catacombs, the Dowdle brothers landed upon a treasure hunt tale where the female protagonist was “searching for something down there.” That something ended up being the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary artifact said to have the power of turning any base metal into gold or silver and granting someone the power of immortality. According to lore, the philosopher’s Stone was an unknown substance with miraculous powers that was either discovered or developed by Nicolas Flamel, a bookseller born during the 14th century.
Several legends surround the Stone and its creator, which the Dowdle brothers wished to harness while developing the narrative. The persisting myths around Flamel’s Stone have led to numerous theories and ideas from scholars and people alike. In the movie, it becomes the main instigating force for the whole narrative to take shape. Additionally, the movie’s religious themes seem to feed into the mystery surrounding the Stone. As such, ties can also be found with Dante Alighieri’s ‘Inferno,’ which revolves around a trek through the nine circles of Hell.
As Above, So Below Embraces Documentary Style Filmmaking
To ground the movie’s footing in reality and its horror aspects, John Erick and Drew Dowdle decided to adopt a more grungy aesthetic that was elevated through a documentary-style approach. While the film has definite visual nods to found-footage movies, Drew Dowdle told Entertainment Weekly, “I would call it more docu-style than found footage. It’s not ‘These tapes were found mysteriously some place.'” The director also chimed in by adding that the movie never pretends to be real footage. Instead, he wanted to embrace the more surreal and supernatural aspects of the story and lace it with a sense of urgency and immediacy by having it filmed in a documentary style. It lends a greater sense of immersion while not doubling down on the tropes of a found footage movie.
Even while describing the story’s thematic elements, the brothers were hesitant to label it as a “ghost story.” To that end, they compared it to movies like ‘The Shining,‘ where the horror and real elements are blended together in such a way that the lines are blurred. “It’s more akin to The Shining. Like The Shining is sort of a ghost story but sort of not,” John Erick said. A greater emphasis is placed on the psychological lives of the characters and the horror that manifests through them. Therefore, the mixture of myths, people, and the underground labyrinths of the catacombs builds a claustrophobic world where the horror elements feel closer to reality. It is only enhanced further through the struggles of the protagonist and her hellish exploits.
Scarlett Marlowe is a Fictional Archaeologist in the Mold of Indiana Jones
To elevate the movie’s dramatic aspects, John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle alighted upon a female protagonist who leads an Indiana Jones-type adventure into the bowels of the Parisian catacombs. Even before the brothers decided on the main elements of their movie, they figured out her backstory and gave her an unflinching attitude towards danger and seeking the truth. Drew Dowdle defined the character’s motivations as someone who was a believer in Flamel’s Stone and would stop at nothing to discover the artifact. He said, “She’s the daughter of a world famous alchemist, who was a big believer in Nicholas Flamel, and she’s setting out to not only find the stone but to prove her father wasn’t insane.”
While the character is undoubtedly tailored to match the Indiana Jones archetype, there are also shades of Lara Croft from the ‘Tomb Raider’ media franchise in her personality. Like Croft, Scarlett is incredibly singular-minded and has a father whose reputation she is looking to uphold. She is also resourceful and has a never-give-up attitude that serves her well in her discovery quests. However, it also puts her in the way of trouble, as she finds out during the movie’s proceedings. While her obsessive qualities can be somewhat detrimental, such as how she manipulates people to do her bidding, she still showcases compassion for her team members, making her a valuable leader. Despite her heroic journey in ‘As Above, So Below,’ she is a fictional character with no ties to reality.
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