What Does As Above So Below Mean?

What is the meaning of As Above, So Below?

The phrase “as above, so below” is an ancient quote to describe the idea that what happens in a higher realm or plane of existence also happens in a lower realm. It comes from an ancient piece of writing called the Emerald Tablet. To understand the meaning of “as above, so below,” we have to take a brief look at history and philosophy.

What does As Above, So Below as within mean?

As Above so below means that what is bound in heaven will also be found on Earth. The term As Within refers to the mind and soul, As without to the world outside the individual. Together, the intent of the phrase is to remind the magic practit. Think fractal geometry.

What does As Above, So Below as within so without mean?

This quote is believed to have demystified one of the biggest secrets of life. In the modern world – ‘As Within’ presumes – what do we think deep within ourselves, how well we know ourselves. ‘So Without’ supposes – that it will get expressed in the life we lead. ‘As above’ represents what’s on our minds (Heaven).

Is the phrase As Above, So Below in the Bible?

Christianity – “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” — Matthew 13:31–32 The principle of “as above, so below” is not a direct concept in Christianity, but there are similar ideas present in Christian theology.

• Christianity teaches that God is the creator of the universe and that everything in the universe reflects God’s nature and character.
• Christianity also teaches that the individual is created in God’s image, and that the individual reflects God’s nature and character.
• One concept in Christianity that is similar to the principle of “as above, so below” is the idea of the “microcosm” and “macrocosm” which suggests that the individual is a reflection of the universe and that the universe is a reflection of God.

This idea can be found in the Bible, in the book of Genesis where it says that “God created man in his own image” (Gen 1:27) Additionally, the Christian belief in the trinity, that is the belief that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one, can be seen as a reflection of the principle of “as above, so below” as it suggests that the individual, the universe and God are all interconnected and that the same principles govern all of them.

What is an example of As Above, So Below?

The same chemical energies found in the AS ABOVE stars such as phosphorus, hydrogen, sodium, Sulfur, magnesium, and iron can be found in almost all living organisms including we humans on the SO BELOW.

Who is the monster in As Above, So Below?

The monsters of As Above, So Below are gargoyles, designed as the guardians of the place, and at one point, we see a man sitting on a wooden chair, which might just be this movie’s depiction of Satan. After all, this is how he was portrayed in Dante’s Inferno.

What is the Hermetic philosophy?

God as ‘the All’ – In the religio-philosophical Hermetica, the ultimate reality is called by many names, such as God, Lord, Father, Mind ( Nous ), the Creator, the All, the One, etc. In the Hermetic view, God is both the all ( Greek : to pan ) and the creator of the all: all created things pre-exist in God and God is the nature of the cosmos (being both the substance from which it proceeds and the governing principle which orders it), yet the things themselves and the cosmos were all created by God.

Was La Taupe a demon?

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Headscratchers/AsAboveSoBelow Follow ing Go To

The conceit of most of the first half of the film is that someone is following Scarlett with a camera to make a documentary of sorts. The question is: Where did Scarlett get this guy? Not only does he constantly neglect to focus the camera on where she tells it to look (such as when she says to look at the inscriptions she’s translating—the camera closes in on that for half a second, then jerks away), but he apparently feels justified in getting close to her talking to her former colleague and lover, in what is clearly supposed to be a private heart-to-heart. While Stylistic Suck is a typical element of Found Footage films, you’d think a documentary filmmaker (as opposed to teen amateurs) would know better.

As I understand, catacombs had their means to attract people who could be considered impure or at least have emotional baggage theyd need to sort out. Even before entering the restricted part of the cave our characters knew they should seek guidance from Papillion because the ghost, who later appeared in a burning car, told them to. This is why some random good filmmaker wouldnt do, it had to be a conflicted person like Benji. Even though we never really get to know him and his alleged sins but we are shown that at least one person in the group was there because he was lured by the demons.]] So that could have happened with Benji, too. In the end, our three survivors are revealed to have committed far lesser crimes as opposed to Papillion who was supposedly responsible for his friend being burnt alive and Souxie who I guess betrayed La Taupe by not ever attempting to find him.

If the first philosopher stone they found was fake, then why did it have healing capabilities?

It didn’t. Scarlett had placed her hand over the wound the first time, believing she (through the stone, technically) had the power to heal. So it worked. The reason why it didn’t work after that was because she just used the bits of stone, she didn’t herself touch it. And since the power comes from within each person, not a stone, it didn’t do anything. Which is how she’s able to heal solely with her hands.

About Souxie: why did the Mole kill her? Since the overall premise of the journey was for the characters to overcome their internal demons, the setup for this character was that they had issue with Papillon, not Souxie.

Very little about Souxie is actually revealed, so it could be for any number of reasons. It is possible that La Taupe was Souxie’s demon. When they initially encounter La Taupe, his first line is “You shouldn’t be here, Souxie. None of you should be here.” Shortly after, he says “You never even came to look for me.” Supernatural things have already started happening by this point, and there are several things to suggest that La Taupe is Dead All Along, The implication is that Souxie feels guilty that none of them tried to find La Taupe.

About the ending. Where is the real philosopher’s stone? Did Scarlett take all its power, or is she now a living philosopher’s stone? And if the philosopher’s stone cannot bring the dead back to life, then how was she able to bring George back to life?

In classical alchemy, the true Philosopher’s Stone is the human soul after having been through a process of breaking down and removing spiritual impurities. Some ancient alchemists pointed to Christ as a forebear, comparing the alchemical process to his dying, descending into Hell and rising again. As for George, they only found that the incomplete stone couldn’t raise the dead, so it’s entirely possible that the true stone could, which would be in keeping with the Christ metaphor. Alternately, given that their remaining guide was applying first-aid pressure to his wound, he was probably Not Quite Dead,

More about the ending. If they were to go back into the sewer where they came out, would they go back into the realm?

Incredibly unlikely. The part of the catacombs they venture through is clearly an Eldritch Location, if not Hell itself. The movie makes it clear that these Alien Geometries don’t obey the laws of reality; it’s safe to assume that once they closed the manhole, its portal to the otherworld would vanish, and opening it again would just put them in the sewers.

Unless the place where they eventually end up is not the real Paris, but just another zone of hell.

The premise of found footage movies is that the video that is taken somehow manages to be brought back for others to see, either by survivors managing to bring it back, or by another party recovering it at a later date (the latter being more typical – thusly “found footage”).

It isn’t necessarily literal Found Footage. Nothing explicitly states that the footage we’re watching was recovered. We’re just seeing the events through the perspective of cameras in the moment. Sort of like how the film Searching is all from the perspective of the main character’s computer screen, even though it’s never implied that he’s recording it. We’re just seeing the content as it happens. Actually, while it’s really easy to miss because that’s about the point in the film where things start getting pretty chaotic, Zed does take up Benji’s camera after he dies. It does get dropped a second time, but Scarlet grabs it on her way back to Zed and Georgie near the end (it’s a bit hard to say for sure, but it seems like she uses it to whack a demon upside the head!). Georgie keeps his camera the whole time.

Who was Hermes Trismegistus?

Hermes Trismegistus, also spelled Hermes Trismegistos, the Greek name applied to the Egyptian god Thoth as the reputed author or source of the Hermetic writings, works of revelation on occult subjects and theology.

Is As Above, So Below appropriate?

As Above, So Below Rating & Content Info – Please Note: We have not viewed this movie. The information below is a summary based on data gathered from government and industry sponsored film classification agencies in various global regions. Why is As Above, So Below rated R? As Above, So Below is rated R by the MPAA for bloody violence/terror, and language throughout.

• This additional information about the movie’s content is taken from the notes of various Canadian Film Classification boards: Violence: – Frequent non-graphic violence.
• Brief explicit violence.
• Violent acts shown in a realistic manner, with detail, blood and tissue damage.
• Depictions of beating and burning.

– Several frightening scenes depicting supernatural beings. – Infrequent portrayals of gruesome violence and deaths, with some blood and detail. – Frequent portrayals of frightening images, with some blood and detail. – Gory and grotesque images. – Upsetting and disturbing scenes.

Is As Above, So Below related to Dante’s Inferno?

What The Title REALLY Means – In Hermeticism, the statement ” as above, so below “, is a fundamental principle that suggests that whatever happens above also does below, and vice versa. It is a complex theoretical framework that the religious and philosophical practice uses more commonly to discuss the microcosms of the self and the macrocosm of the universe.

In short, the universe exists within an individual and the individual exists within the universe. When Hermeticism started implementing alchemy, astrology, and theurgy to its practice, the statement became even more complex. As Above, So Below utilizes these alchemical beliefs. In the film, the philosopher’s stone has the ability to transform mercury into gold.

This is a direct reference to alchemy, which does the exact same. While Scarlett initially understands the concept of alchemy in this simplistic view, their journey into the catacombs reveals the true nature of it. Throughout the film, the team is faced with the mysteries of death and birth while pondering on the possibilities of resurrection or rebirth.

These three topics are vital to alchemy, as they are included in the spiritual investigation which creates the philosopher’s stone. By the end of the film, Scarlett recognizes that they must confront their demons in order to escape. Once they confront what is ” below ” they are able to return to the ” above “.

Which, in this context, is their reality. By externally confronting their experiences, they’ve reached an internal resolve. Thus, the team successfully accomplished an alchemical practice that leads to the creation of the philosopher’s stone, despite never physically manifesting it.

How do you say As Above, So Below as within so without in Arabic?

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Arabic translation: كما في الأعلى كذلك في الأسفل ‘As above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul’

Why is as above so below scary?

7 /10 Unique, enjoyable, somehow I wasn’t expecting much to be honest, as the whole found footage genre seems to have died a death, but this is surprisingly good. It begins in dramatic fashion, and for the most part doesn’t let up, anyone that suffers with claustrophobia or a feeling of being trapped will appreciate the efforts of the film, or not.

Some creepy scenes, I liked the part where the phone was ringing, that was atmospheric, as well as the push deeper into the cave. Perdita Weeks was excellent in the role. This was rather good.7/10 46 out of 53 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 This one is different, in a good way.

If you’re into horror movies, you already know that a modern, moderately unknown horror movie receiving over a 6 on IMDb is a good sign. As usual, with the films I like, I think it deserves better. This movie is different than others in this genre. It’s well done and the subject matter is perfect for a horror movie.

Oh sure, there’s things you can pick apart if you’re into dissecting every plot hole or unbelievable character action. But if you just sit back and enjoy the ride, I guarantee you’ll find a movie that surpasses many in this genre in sheer plot alone. The acting is good and the movie builds and builds to a satisfying ending.

I’ve re-watched it over three times. Half the horror movies nowadays, I turn off in 10 minutes.8/10 251 out of 287 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 4 /10 Found-footage Horror 101 – Other movies, take notes. Warning: Spoilers This is one I was excited for.

• The found-footage genre has been on life support for a while now but this one had a cool premise in a great setting – the catacombs.
• Seriously, that alone makes the movie worth a watch if you’re a horror fan.
• The unsettling atmosphere, the claustrophobia, the creepy imagery, all while delving deeper and deeper into the Earth.

I feel like this is a no brainer but if you’re not a found-footage horror fan then you won’t like this one. You’ve seen it all before and this is no different. All the usual plot devices and tropes that come along with the genre are here – it’s just executed with finesse.

• The setting has a lot to do with it: It sets up the tone of the movie and keeps that ominous vibe present throughout.
• There aren’t many surprises to be found here.
• It’s a found-footage movie so it takes a little while to get going, but once it hits its stride it becomes a truly exciting adventure to be on.

You really get the first person feel in this movie. They don’t need excuses to be documenting this – they’re explorers. We’re just watching what they saw. That little sense of believability goes a long way in helping the movie’s credibility and effectiveness.

1. There are few actual scares in As Above So Below.
2. It has an atmosphere similar to The Descent and keeps the slow eerie pace throughout the first two acts of the film.
3. That in my opinion is the greatest strength of this film, and any others of its ilk – the focus on atmosphere rather than shock horror or jump scares.

In the third act, sh*t starts to go down, and it goes down big time. It’s not anything spectacular, none of the film is honestly, but I was satisfied at the end of this movie and that’s more than I can say about a lot of the found-footage movies I’ve seen recently.

1. A pleasant surprise in horror is good acting, and this movie thrives on it.
2. Even though it takes a while for the movie to kick off, it’s fun being introduced to these characters and starting this adventure with them because they are convincing in their roles and they actually have personality.
3. You can identify with the two leads – one is the ambitious adventurer, the other is the neurotic realist.

Then there’s the eccentric and unreliable “tour guide” that introduces them on this hellish quest. It’s just a lot of fun to be a part of this journey because none of us know what will be waiting for us on the other side. Overall this is just a well made found-footage movie.

• It has the chills, it has the thrills, and the added bonuses of good acting and an excellent premise.
• Horror fans will certainly get a kick out of it, and even if you’re just looking for a midnight creep movie then As Above, So Below will not disappoint.178 out of 218 found this helpful.
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Permalink 8 /10 It’s a great movie, especially if you know EXACTLY what’s going on. Absolutely love this movie! It’s a breath of fresh air from other found footage horror movies, especially with the whole archeological adventure spin on it. I loved that! It felt like Tomb Raider horror film about hell! Wicked cool! And to understand completely what’s going on, you need to read Dante’s inferno\ Divine Comedy.

It will fill in all the gaps of the film, especially the confusing parts and ending. Awesome film. very scary.79 out of 99 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 6 /10 Raiders of the Philosopher’s Stone Warning: Spoilers “As Above, So Below” centers on two archaeologists and a group of urban spelunkers who break into the catacombs below Paris.

However, unlike most naive tourists, they have quite the reason: they are in search of an arcane philosopher’s stone that purportedly holds the powers of eternal life. Unfortunately, the group becomes trapped in a labyrinth of caves that lead them deeper and deeper into the earth.

and closer and closer toward the gates of hell. Directed and co-written by John Erick Dowdle, who was behind “Devil” and the apocryphally unreleased “Poughkeepsie Tapes,” “As Above, So Below” is, at its roots, an action-packed adventure flick melded with the makings of found-footage horror, and, although at times ridiculous, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t wildly entertaining.

The central crux of the plot hinges on a mystical stone whose existence has been buried (literally and metaphorically) by history, and the protagonist, Scarlett (Perdita Weeks), the daughter of an archaeologist and alchemy student, makes it her life goal to finish her deceased father’s work and find it.

While this is admittedly fantastical and no doubt requires a slight stretching of the imagination, the historical and mythological aspects of the film still manage to be compelling none the less. That said, the real hook of the film lies in its setting: les Catacombes de Paris. To date, I only know of one other film that takes place in the ghoulish setting— the slightly underwhelming “Catacombs” (2007).

While both films are very different in plot, they both share the same pull due to their unusually extraordinary setting. “As Above, So Below” also admittedly borrows elements from Neil Marshall’s “The Descent,” but those who call this film a “found footage rip-off” are way off base.

Both films take place underground, yes, and “As Above, So Below” does appear to borrow a couple of sequential elements from Marshall’s film, but they are complete tonal opposites. There are plenty of wild and fun elements in this film, including secret passages, trapdoors, tunnels circling in on themselves, and ringing telephones 500 feet under the earth, but all of it is done in good taste and manages to evoke some solid scares and an oppressive atmosphere.

The hand-held camera-work accentuates the explorers’ sense of disorientation, and one gets the increasing sense of desperation as they venture deeper and deeper into the belly of the beast. The most obvious issue with the film is that it suffers from a half-baked subplot surrounding the individuals’ reliving/re-facing demons of their past, which appears to have been an overarching, perhaps even singular theme, but it fails to really ever take hold, crumbling under the film’s dynamic subterranean locale; quite literally under the weight of the earth.

I felt like this entire subplot(?) could have been completely stripped from the script, and we still would have had a solid, effective film here. I don’t want to say that it juggles too many themes as a result, because it really doesn’t, but the incorporation of this with the mythology of the film comes off as a little bit harebrained.

There is already enough Indiana Jones whimsy to be had here as it is, so these sequences of characters facing past demons are ultimately ineffective among the rest of the film’s funhouse attractions. Even still, I found this to be a wildly entertaining thriller and a good, claustrophobic two hours at the cinema.

1. It is not a great film, but it is a well made film, and is especially a delight for anyone who is as fascinated by the Paris catacombs as I am, or just subterranean depths in general.
2. It’s claustrophobic, fast-paced, and at times genuinely spooky; at other times, it’s absolutely silly and edges into Indiana Jones territory, but at the end of the day, I thought this was a solid concoction of fantasy, adventure-thriller, and supernatural horror elements.

Take it for what it is, and it’s rightfully enjoyable.6/10.101 out of 143 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7 /10 An Admirable Horror Horror movies are rarely called ‘great.’ When was the last critically acclaimed horror movie released? You’d be hard-pressed to find anything since The Ring in 2002.

I haven’t seen The Conjuring, Mama or Oculus but people say they’ve got potential. I thought Drag Me to Hell was pretty good from 2009. But the last great one I caught in theaters was Devil from 2010. Which is also directed by John Dowdle. He wrote Quarantine (2008), as well – another solid semi- recent horror.

As Above/So Below is the best horror movie I’ve seen in a long time. First of all, it’s shot on-location in Paris, which is a delight for any fan of that city. Favorite sights like Notre Dame and Sacre-Coeur are featured throughout. The filmmakers use almost every shooting style.

AA/SB is a mockumentary about Scarlett (played by Perdita Weeks) a young archaeologist searching for the philosopher’s stone. Therefore much of the footage is first-person, shot via headlamp GoPro cams. Although I’m sick of ‘found footage’ it works better here. For obvious reasons, the budget can’t be massive, so this filmmaking style is particularly suited to horror.

The story is also good, co-written by the director and his brother, Drew. There’s more nuance than usual. The main characters use deductive reasoning and historical analysis in order to solve riddles and navigate the labyrinthine catacombs. There’s a lot of rebirth imagery, but I wonder just how far the metaphor goes.

1. Are the ribbed tunnels supposed to be reminiscent of a vaginal lining? Dichotomies drawn between light and dark, and up and down, are intriguing and thought provoking.
2. The cast of unknowns delivers strong performances.
3. It’s tough to get through a whole scary movie without poor acting or cheesy moments.

Apparently I’m in the minority because AA/SB is getting 13% amongst top critics and 57% amongst the users on Rotten Tomatoes. But I would encourage an open mind, because it’s a cut above the rest. If you’re looking for a decent flick this weekend, especially if you dig horror, you can do a lot worse than As Above/So Below.161 out of 219 found this helpful.

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2. Permalink 8 /10 Vastly Underrated.
3. This movie is just what you expect.
4. A Blair Witch Project/ Tomb Raider crossover.
5. And does that sound good on paper? No, but it actually ends up being pretty good.
6. If you like Horror/ Action Films (and enjoy found footage) then this movie delivers.102 out of 125 found this helpful.

Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 Incredibly original in comparison to every horror movie coming out lately. “As Above, So Below” I pondered this film for some time now. I’ve been trying to understand why it’s done so poorly for the critics (not that that affects my opinion about a film).

• But I just didn’t understand how we could have such stark differences in opinions about this film.
• I’ve heard it called, chiched, forced, just like all the other found footage films in this “saturated genre”.
• And I thought none of those were true about this film.
• Save maybe “forced” in some moments.
• Where to begin with this convoluted breakdown.

The film clearly had some absurd qualities. First and foremost is the painfully contrived female protagonist. A mid-twenties girl who is fluent in 4 languages and 2 dead languages and 2 PhD’s. Oh and a black belt in Krav Maga. She was beautiful, adventurous, intelligent, brave.

1. Really? Too much.
2. Waaay too much. HOWEVER.
3. I know why they did it.
4. For the sake of the story they needed a character who could do all of those things.
5. The solution to this would’ve been simply to cast an older person.
6. But that wouldn’t cater to the targeted audience.
7. They needed a full cast of young 20 somethings.

There were other small things that were a little far fetched. Like “oh they conveniently had enough cameras for everyone and they never broke or got water damage.” Of course. For the sake of a film in this type of genre to continue that had to be the case.

First I would like to debunk the myth that the “found footage” genre is saturated and overdone. Let me think of a couple memorable found footage films: “The Blair Witch Project”. “Paranormal Activities”. ummmm. “Cloverfield”? I mean that’s really all that stands out to me, but I’m not an avid horror fan.

Maybe “Quarantine”. The point is if you wanna complain about over done genres maybe you should look more in the direction of “If I stay”, or “The Maze Runner” and movies alike. Or Exorcism movies. Oh. My. Gosh. Talk about overdone. No other movie has beautifully meshed these two genres together.

Historical-Mystery- Adventure and Horror. Maybe “The Mummy” but even that wasn’t really going for HORROR. And maybe that’s why I particularly enjoyed this film so much. I love the Historical adventures such as “Indiana Jones”, “Laura Croft”, “National Treasure”. And they painted an idea that I don’t think has been done a lot or very well.

I’ve never seen a film that has painted Hell like they did. And I’m gonna be real, I was very creeped/stressed/scared. I think it’s strongest point was it’s middle act. It’s build up to the finale was very well done. I continually had a sharp pain in my chest until the end.

• Also “George” was a pretty good actor.
• And the french people.
• Change the main girl and you’ve got a great movie.
• In the end my reasons for why I liked it so much was that it was a fresh horror, unlike. oh.
• I dunno.
• The thousands of possession and exorcism movies that come out every freaking year.
• And the concept was really intriguing.

As far as horror movies go? 9/10 296 out of 392 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10 /10 Quite a journey. abandon all hope those who enter here!!! Warning: Spoilers This film is fantastic; an epic journey through hell to purgatory and back again.

• It is filled with mythology, history, adventure, faith, demons, torture, religious awakenings & the repentance of sins.
• I feel that anyone would enjoy this film if you like spooky, creepy horrors that make you think, as opposed to simply a blood and gore slasher.
• Although this film can be well enjoyed with no prior knowledge of revelations in the bible, if you have questions or are confused regarding the plot and ending, please, please go and have a read and then return for a second showing with new eyes!!! Reading revelations(even the ‘for dummies’ guides or similar) will help your understanding.

I highly recommend reading Dante’s Inferno/Purgatory/Paradise series and Milton’s A Paradise Lost. plenty of websites with short, summarised details. In these texts, on being banished from heaven, Lucifer vows to oppose all of God’s creation and laws.

• This would explain the ‘backwards’ element to the film after entering Hell’s Gate (as above, so below).
• The general random demons dotted around are definitely part of Hell, as are the loud noises and visions, intended to torture.
• In the Catholic faith it is believed that personal sin is paramount for your fate following death, and that those with a heavy burden of sins are destined for Hell and damnation.

There is, however, the possibility to redeem yourself by repenting your sins. In purgatory are the souls of those who have either committed lesser sins or have guilt, or have not followed the correct path during life. They then have the chance to repent sin, allowing them to enter paradise (heaven).

As an example, Papillon was still denying his guilt/sin for his involvement in a man dying in a burning car right until the end. This failed opportunity to repent sealed his fate in hell, whereas when Scarlett see’s her father she repents her sin and acknowledges her guilt and sin surrounding his suicide, making him disappear and allow her to proceed.

Zed and George also repent on being faced with their own sins, after which a leap of faith allows them to continue and be allowed to enter paradise. So are they dead at the end? no; I believe they return to Paris as they cannot yet enter paradise until they die.

• They have had a journey through hell and purgatory, been absolved of their sins and have most probably assured their entry into heaven following death in the absence of future sin.
• The relevance of the philosophers stone to me is having faith in a higher power, and having hope of redemption.
• There are many other subtle references to revelations that make the film worth revisiting.

I rarely score a film a 10, however, taking into account the story, fantastic camera work, acting and a modest budget of $5 million, it really is worth it. If you enjoyed this film, then ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ and ‘Descent’ should also be right up your alley 🙂 75 out of 96 found this helpful.

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2. Permalink 7 /10 Pretty good.
3. Much better than expected.
4. First of all, there aren’t a ton of good Horrors out there that are truly original.
5. I’m not saying this movie is one of them, but that lack of originality shouldn’t be the reason to give any movie a lower score.

Bringing fresh ideas to the Horror genre is difficult, mostly because it’s difficult to find new ways to scare people. There aren’t a ton of moments that make you jump, but I think the genre isn’t really about making people jump anymore. Audiences have gotten good at predicting when these moments happen.

• Where this movie does well, along with the rest of my favorite horror movies, is atmosphere.
• For me, having a dark, creepy atmosphere is far more important to success in this genre than getting people to leap out of their seats.
• The shaky-cam, found-footage style isn’t that much of an issue for me either.

Actually, I think still does a good job portraying realism, despite being a bit disorienting and annoying. Story-wise, I’d say it’s pretty unique. How many other horrors involving descent into the earth to find historical relics can you think of off the top of your head? One, two maybe.

How many horrors can you think of off the top of your head involving a haunted house, a possessed child or doll, exorcism, a guy with a mask, or a cabin in the woods? 100? Not to say this is bad, but I’ll gladly welcome anything outside traditional horror settings and scenarios. It does dip into the realm of ridiculousness as some points, but nothing too over-the-top and far-fetched for the situation.

The acting is good and the characters are believable for the most part. I would have cleaned up the final act a little bit more, but it was good enough to keep me satisfied. Not sure what the critics are bashing it for. If there is anything to really complain about it’s not this movie, but the genre itself.

That being said, lower your expectations and you might like it. I’d give it a solid 7 out of 10.178 out of 229 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink Watch it first and then read the trivia section, you won’t be disappointed. I knew very little going into this movie and it did not disappoint.

Originally I gave this movie 6/10 but upon hitting up the Trivia section and realising some subtle intricacies I’d missed and just how much detail was in the movie I bumped up to an 8/10. One of the best finds I’ve found in a while 12 out of 14 found this helpful.

Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 Creepy as hell (see what I did there?!) I enjoyed this movie. I wish it was easier to find horror movies that are as creepy as this one. Most horror films lack a good plot. Not this one. I enjoyed the archeological/mystical aspect of it. Basically it’s an exploration expedition going really wrong.

I have to say I felt really claustrophobic watching them crawl in those scary tunnels. I also liked the reference to Dante’s Inferno. It’s sort of a modern way to tell the story. It wasn’t a perfect movie but it was really good. The acting, filming and direction were good and so was the writing.

I also liked the fact that it was not too gory. Most horror movies are filled with stupid characters, cheap jump scares and lots of blood and gore. Here we have an interesting plot and well written characters and even though some of their decisions weren’t the smartest (like going in there in the first place) most were justified (like when they had no other choice).

All in all I thought the movie was pretty good and definitely worth a watch.19 out of 28 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 5 /10 Shaky Warning: Spoilers I’m afraid I didn’t enjoy this movie. I thought it started well enough (with some reservations), but it became disjointed and confusing in the second half.

The Scarlett character was interesting (a teenage frenetic Indiana Jones on speed), but by the second half it was annoying me that she was solving these complex puzzles under intense pressure in just seconds. The George character: someone in his 20s who is an Aramaic expert and can fix medieval church clocks? GMAFB.

What really annoyed me was when – on the spot and under great pressure – he translated a difficult to read text from Aramaic (?) into English, and it came out like a 19th century poem, rhyming and with words like “twixt”. WTF? I thought I was following it all well enough but then the “worst fear materialised” theme arose.

Yikes. That came out of nowhere. Even when the movie is over, it’s not clear why that was added to the film. That idea has been around an awfully long time, but it was just unexpected and out of place here. The various alchemical, mythological and religious references were all a jumbled mess. The sunken cavern, the mass deaths, the gate to hell, the sound distortion, the treasure room, the philosopher’s stone, the strange chanting women, the monk-like creatures, La Taupe, and so on.

There were quite a few other unanswered points. They were introducing frightening elements for no reason other than to be frightening. I didn’t find it that frightening. I looked at my watch several times during the movie. I groaned audibly a few times. I didn’t really like the shaky cam and the found-footage concept.

• It’s difficult to maintain that for very long.
• For those who died far underground, how did their footage survive? Who was filming them at the very end? It annoyed me that the characters were vocalizing so much.
• Yes, I know we needed that for dramatic reasons.
• I hated it.
• People don’t do that in real life.

I’d give this movie about a 5 or a 5.5. I’ve toured the Paris Catacombs, so I really wanted to like this movie. Sorry.57 out of 100 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 3 /10 Awful Camera, Silly Story The archaeologist Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks) searches the Nicholas Flame’s alchemical philosopher’s stone and finds a rose key in Iran in Aramaic that would help her to find the stone.

She meets her former boyfriend George (Ben Feldman) in Paris with her cameraman Benji (Edwin Hodge) and they conclude that the stone is below the Parisian Catacombs. They team up with the guide Papillon (François Civil); his girlfriend Souxie (Marion Lambert); and their friend Zed (Ali Marhyar) to find the spot.

When they find the stone, Scarlett removes it and soon they discover that they are trapped in hell with visions of their sins and she concludes that she must return the stone to the place where it belongs. “As Above, So Below” is another irritating low-budget found footage horror movie.

The dreadful camera work is tiresome making the viewer dizzy and destroys any expectation that the viewer may have. It is hilarious to see the translation from Aramaic producing a rhyme in English. It is laughable to see the curriculum vitae of a twenty and something years old with so many specialization including in martial arts.

Her stubbornness risking the lives of her team including hers is ridiculous. My vote is three. Title (Brazil): “Assim na Terra Como no Inferno” (“On Earth as It Is in Hell”) 70 out of 141 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9 /10 Creepy, Intelligent Horror/Adventure with a Satisfying Conclusion.

There is a lot that unfolds in this story and it’s a bit mind-bending. I admit I turned to google to help me better wrap my head around all that happened. If I would have been more familiar with Dante’s Inferno, I would have understood things better. But even so, I really appreciate the unveiling of the mystery in the end.

Too many movies end with no explanations or answers and leave the viewers with nothing but their imaginations to wrap things up with. This movie created an intriguing mystery and had a satisfying conclusion. It felt like an Indiana Jones movie gone horror.

• The group of young people here are looking for the philosopher’s stone which holds the power to heal and grant immortality.
• There are puzzles and riddles to solve and supernatural threats and it’s all really interesting.
• I was glued to the screen.
• The acting performances and the found-footage film technique made the movie feel raw and real.

The word “creepy” kept coming to mind. Yes, the things lurking around in the dark are frightening, but the real terror is the ever changing maze of dark tunnels that take the group deeper and deeper underground. Prepare to use your brain as you dive into the creepy catacombs of Paris.15 out of 22 found this helpful.

Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 6 /10 Not really scary, but wasn’t all that boring either This is a average found footage movie that has some interesting mechanics and turns. But it just doesn’t bring anything new to the found footage movies. It’s still a alright popcorn flick and is worth a watch, when you have nothing else to do.

If your a audience member that likes found footage movie, than this movie is actually worth checking out. Some parts of the story is predictable and other parts I actually didn’t see coming, although very few. Watching this flick was like watching one of those adventure movies like “National Treasure” with some horror elements.

The dialogue between the characters has “National Treasure” written all over it. Well at least until they start going underground. It isn’t really scary or gripping and some parts does get nauseating. The story is about couple of people looking for the Philosopher Stone which can grant immortality a infinite gold.

Which is from what they know located underground Paris. I just didn’t care about what was at stake of any of the characters. Which actually gets rid of the tension. It’s a watchable movie that did at least got me paying attention from beginning to end, but nothing special.

1. Not worth seeing it in theaters, but worth a rental.6.6/10 7 out of 10 found this helpful.
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3. Permalink 1 /10 A Crappy Colonoscopy Of A Horror Movie Warning: Spoilers “Quarantine” director John Erick Dowdle conjures up plenty of spooky atmosphere but delivers only a paucity of thrills in his half-baked, found-footage chiller “As Above, So Below” about a group of cataphiles who plunge into the catacombs of Paris to exhume a Medieval relic known as the Philosopher’s Stone.

Initially, this low-budget but polished looking thriller must have appeared promising on paper: a plucky Laura Croft heroine, who knows six languages and holds a black belt in Capoeira, persuades a motley crew to crawl through the claustrophobic confines of the dead for a treasure worthy of an Indiana Jones escapade.

1. Unfortunately, Dowdle and his co-scenarist brother Drew Dowdle don’t stock their storyline with a sufficient number of screams.
2. Once the novelty value of the catacombs as an eerie setting wears off, the brothers Dowdle resort to standard-issue shenanigans that generate no white-knuckled terror.
3. Naturally, claustrophobia takes a toll on our heroes.

Each ends up hallucinating about a tragic event from the past, and some find themselves in circumstances best described as surreal. Not only does one spelunker see a younger brother who he couldn’t save from drowning, but also he finds a mysterious piano that reminds him of one from his youth that needed a tune-up.

• Simply said, “As Above, So Below” won’t scare the catacombs out of you.
• Nevertheless, Dowdle does a good job of setting up suspense, but few of his alarming antics will send you screaming for the exits.
• Sure, you may feel a shiver scuttle up your spine, but you won’t cut loose with blood-curdling screams unless you’ve never seen a horror movie.

The blood and gore content isn’t nearly as gruesome as it could have been for an R-rated chiller. The attractive twentysomething cast gives it their best shot, but the outcome seems fairly anti-climactic. Although she has multiple doctorates, Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks of “Hamlet”) qualifies more as a tomb raider.

1. She is the kind of girl who doesn’t squeal at the sight of rats and spiders.
2. In a suspenseful opening sequence, she enters Iran disguised as a native to obtain pictures of a giant stone bull that serves as a Rosetta Stone of sorts to interpret alchemic inscriptions prominently featured in the work of her late father.

Basically, Scarlett is pursuing the same research that her father embarked on before he felt suicide was the best hope for his unhinged mind. He had devoted his entire life to the search for the fabled Philosopher’s Stone. According to legend, this extraordinary stone could heal wounds as well as convert base metals into gold.

1. Scarlett narrowly avoids death in Iran when the authorities blow up the tunnels where she is snapping pictures of those exotic inscriptions.
2. Later, Scarlett convinces one of her former boyfriends, George (“Mad Men’s” Ben Feldman), who has just repaired an ancient cathedral church bell that hasn’t tolled for 200 years, to accompany her on her elusive quest.

Actually, Scarlett needs George because he knows a language that she doesn’t. Moreover, George can get her into a museum during after-hours that houses an obscure artifact about medieval-era Parisian Nicolas Flamel who figures prominently in her research.

• What Scarlett learns from that museum piece that she desecrates without a qualm confirms our Tomb Raider mistress’s suspicions.
• At first, an incredulous George refuses to follow Scarlett into the bowels of Paris in what amounts to a hair-raising colonoscopy.
• Since credibility is essential to her outlandish venture, Scarlett invites Benji (Edwin Hodge of “Red Dawn”) to record her historic expedition.

After she arrives in Paris, Scarlett enlists three quirky guides, a charismatic graffiti artist named Papillon (Francois Civil of “Molière”), his girlfriend Souxie (newcomer Marion Lambert), and a professional climber Zed (Ali Marhyar of “Zero Dark Thirty”), to not only get them into the forbidden catacombs but also keep them from getting lost.

It should come as no surprise that Papillion succeeds splendidly in the first respect but fails miserably in the second. While Benji carries the camera, he has designed headbands equipped with micro-cams for the team to photograph everything from a variety of perspectives. This clever gimmick enables director John Erick Dowdle to show us various points-of-view from the participants so as to heighten the conflict.

Obviously, if you suffer from claustrophobia, watching this marginally entertaining chiller may prove to be a genuine challenge. Furthermore, French lenser Léo Hinstin’s epileptic, hand-held camera work may have you scrambling for Dramamine. “As Above, So Below” is about as close as anybody will want to come to prowling the labyrinth of Parisian catacombs that contain the remains of some six million skeletons.

As it turns out, Scarlett and her scavengers aren’t the only intruders lurking in those passageways. Women wearing too much mascara and not enough apparel stand around and chant; a lanky dude long rumored dead reappears; a hooded character in a priest’s robe skulks about, and petrified skulls protruding from walls transform into ghastly ghouls with an appetite for blood.

None of them are scary enough to raise your hackles. Predictably, the Dowdle brothers stage several cave-ins and send our heroes into smelly drainage canals that connect the catacombs. All of this squirming about seems frightfully compelling as our heroes wriggle from one gritty crevice into another and struggle to decode hieroglyphics about alchemy.

• Inevitably, they have to contend with deadly booby traps that their predecessors concocted to discourage this kind of quest.
• Eventually, Scarlett and company stumble onto a doorway with the familiar Dantesque inscription “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.” Anybody who winds up watching this lackluster chiller would do well to remember those sage words.

Comparably, “As Above, So Below” isn’t a tenth as terrifying as “The Descent” (2005), a thriller about a group of women trapped in a cave. Instead, “As Above, So Below” stinks as badly as the 2011 underwater cave thriller “Sanctum.” 33 out of 70 found this helpful.

Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7 /10 wait until half the flick before it becomes rough A lot is said about this flick. Coming from the man (John Erick Dowdle) behind the Quarantine remake franchise and directed Devil (2010). Been shot actually in the catacombs under Paris it do gives it a special feeling.

But known his earlier flicks you know that this is going to be another shaky camera flick. So I started with mixed feelings. Do I want to see another so-called mockumentary. It was all original when the genre started but nowadays they are mostly a big yawn.

Must say that this one do offer some good moments even as it is a slow starter after half the flick the creepy atmosphere do enters. And from that moment the effects come in some pure CGI like with the burning car and some on-camera. We do have the falling bodies like in REC (2007) which worked well and was nasty but of course by know we have seen it a lot, but I admit that it still works.

I didn’t had any problem with the CGI used for the car because it do gives you some creeps. BUt it’s the “Mol” that will do offer some goosebumps. The way he do attack and the result is pure gore. And that’s what makes this worth picking up. There’s really some red stuff to see and well done.

Naturally the story isn’t that strong after all, seen it a thousand times with mummies and when they are entering ‘hell’ you know you’re in for a treat. It isn’t made for all horror buffs wandering this planet but if you like shaky camera’s then you must pick this up. Some where between the jump moments of Paranormal Activity (2007) and the red stuff of REC (2007) or Quarantine (2008).

Gore 1,5/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 3/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5 5 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 10 /10 Scary as Hell and Highly Underrated As far as found-footage style horror movies go, this one is highly underrated.

Comparative to Blair Witch Project, being the one all other of this style in the genre tends to be judged against, As Above So Below is much faster paced with some higher intensity scenes of action and suspense, deeper seated mystery and horror, and a better developed plot and characters. The historical context and realistic setting of the story taking place in the Catacombs of Paris adds to the percieved realism and creepiness of the plot.

Actor Ben Feldman had a dynamic part in the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot, it’s only fitting he got a leading role, and fits it really well. However Perdita Weeks’ character tends to be the annoying determined know-it-all, if her acting to fit that role was intentional, she did a good job.

1. Give this film a serious consideration for a good horror movie.21 out of 31 found this helpful.
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3. Permalink 8 /10 Quelle Bonne Surprise I was pleasantly surprised by this one.
4. I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I can tell you I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did.

I’m not a giant fan of found footage and something about this one felt like it was going to be silly, but as a whole it was far from that in my opinion. The entire thing was spooky and atmospheric from start to finish. It took a turn in the second half that was surprising and almost genre hopping from what you were expecting thus far.

• The premise at it’s core was nothing wildly original or anything you hadn’t heard of before, but the execution of it and the intricate details within the plot were where the freshness and originality shined.
• Not to mention there were some really shining moments from the actors as well.
• I thought almost everyone gave very natural performances which is crucial in a successful found footage, particularly the main girl, her interpreter friend and the guy who “knew the way”.

Now, was there some light silliness within some of the spooky elements, an undercooked and unnecessary romance and underdeveloped character backstories? Sure. But nothing that majorly took away from the positives that this possesses. It was an entertaining, captivating, scary experience that I would certainly recommend.4 out of 5 found this helpful.

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2. Permalink 4 /10 No amount of alchemy could turn this into gold “As Above, So Below” is mutton dressed up as lamb.
3. A movie with such a marketing budget behind it should never be trusted.
4. It starts with an Indiana Jones sort of vibe – actually, less Indiana Jones and more “National Treasure meets Harry Potter”.

Welsh born Perdita Weeks plays Scarlett, an archaeologist come alchemist come all round clever clogs who is obsessed with completing her dead-father’s quest to find the famous ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ (you see the Potter angle), supposedly buried with its ‘inventor’ Nicholas Flamel beneath the streets of Paris.

She persuades ex-squeeze and ancient clock-mender (I’m not making this up) George (Ben Feldman) to join her on her underground quest, filmed by documentary maker Benji (Edwin Hodge) and roping in a bunch of Parisian adventurers who know the catacombs well. Through a series of rock falls and stupidity they are led deeper and deeper underground in their quest, and the deeper they go the more weird things get.

Who will get out? Who won’t? And more importantly, do we care? The answer is not very much. Whilst there are a few effective jolts along the way – a scene with a burning car is quite well done – much of the ‘horror’ is run of the mill ghost train stuff.

1. The rest of the horror is associated with some of the acting.
2. Cinematography is of the Cloverfield hand-held camera variety, which after 90 minutes gets tiresome and nauseating.
3. And the Oscar goes to.” – – the head of marketing for Legendary Pictures.
4. All in all this is one I’ll soon forget about.
5. If you enjoyed this review please see my other reviews at bob-the-movie-man.com and sign up to “Follow the Fad”.

Thanks.) 45 out of 98 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 memorable and scary ride I won’t be rushing back to in a hurry. I was amazed just how impressive this was. I remember scurrying through part of the catacombs beneath Paris and also getting lost in some labyrinthine chambers beneath the old castle in Budapest and this film vividly brought back the potential horrors.

A bit of Blair Witch here and a lot of mumbo jumbo but also much convincing dialogue and the action, all within these narrow passage ways, tunnels and pools, is always ongoing. The initial urge to get going and keep going is maintained throughout and if there is some inevitable repetition, this too becomes part of the worry.

Music is spot on and all in all a most memorable and scary ride I won’t be rushing back to in a hurry.9 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 1 /10 Not for the claustrophobic, or anyone else I can think of Warning: Spoilers For almost an hour and a half, the characters in this movie wander through an endless series of very narrow, poorly lit tunnels.

Things keep going wrong. Every now and then, the roof of the tunnel threatens to collapse, or they have to swim under water without knowing if they will be able to surface again, or, Threats created to play on the audience’s phobias. The characters are constantly screaming, running and so out of breath, etc.

Finally, at the very end, the three who survive emerge from a tunnel and you see the traditional romantic view of Notre Dame cathedral in the background. They are along the Seine River, in Paris, more or less where Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron danced in An American in Paris.

The young woman survivor hugs one of the two young male survivors. The other one walks away. There is no real plot to this movie. It’s just an hour and a half of trying to frighten the audience with the same things – fear of being trapped underground, fear of drowning, etc. Incredibly repetitive. No interesting special effects, nothing that could hold anyone’s interest.

It’s almost all shot in the dark, so you don’t see much. If you want to be frightened for 90 minutes with the same threats over and over and are willing to spend money for that, maybe you’ll get your money’s worth out of this. If you’re expecting it to have anything to do with Paris, or the catacombs under Paris, as I did, you’ll be sadly disappointed, so don’t bother with it.

It is truly the worst movie I have ever sat through in a theater.37 out of 81 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 8 /10 This is a sweet gift to horror fans! What a journey!!it hits all human phobias.so everyone will be scared and in agony,that i can tell you for sure!I accidentally find this gem and boy.am i a happy camper!just enjoy i said enough.15 out of 22 found this helpful.

Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 7 /10 A very neat idea that was ruined by the jump-scares that never seemed to fit. “As above, so below as I believe the world to be, so it is.” Scarlett (Weeks) is searching for the philosopher’s stone and thinks she has finally found the resting place of it.

She puts together a crew and heads to the catacombs beneath the streets of Paris. What they end up finding is something no one is prepared for. This is a difficult movie to review. The idea of a type of horror Indiana Jones/National Treasure is great. This starts off very strong and the fact that they actually filmed in the catacombs beneath Paris gave this “found footage” more of a reality based feel.

The real downfall and problem with the movie is the horror aspect. The horror of the movie is really nothing more than jump scare after jump scare. Normally that isn’t a terrible thing but in this movie it just doesn’t make sense. You watch the interesting aspect of the explorers trying to figure out the symbols they find and then from out of nowhere someone jumps at the camera, then the exploring continues.

1. The horror would have been better if it was done more suspenseful like The Cave rather than having it feel like an afterthought.
2. Overall, a very neat idea that was ruined by the jump- scares that never seemed to fit.
3. I give this a B.12 out of 23 found this helpful.
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Permalink

What does it mean to be under God?

The most obvious interpretation of ‘under God’ is that he is preserving and protecting us — and that this protection allows us to be ‘one nation indivisible.’ Certainly a nation that is protected and preserved by the Almighty God will be indivisible to all earthly powers.

Where in the Bible does it say there is no other name that is greater than Jesus?

In the book of Philippians 2, verse 9, God has given Jesus a name that is above every name – that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow.

What is the meaning of as below?

‘As below’ is just a short form of ‘as stated below’ or ‘as listed below’ or ‘as written below’ or whatever is appropriate.

What is the meaning of above and under?

Brainer “Over vs Above” and “Under vs below” Is is possible to say that “Above” means “over” and “Under” means”below”, but not the opposite? According to my grammar: Over – In a higher position (close or touching) Above – In a higher position Under – In a lower position (close or touching) Below – In a lower position Examples: There’s a helicopter flying round above / over the school.

Where does the quote As Above, So Below come from?

Etymology. The concept was first laid out in the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus : ‘That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above, corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracles of the One Thing.’

Who is the cultist in As Above, So Below?

Biography – The strange young woman is a leader of a group of female cultists who are seen leading a ritual before the group enter the forbidden section. It is not revealed if she is a supernatural apparition or knows something the group doesn’t. She is shown pushing Benji to his death, holding a baby.

This could imply that she and the baby represent some guilt of his past. However, this theory does not quite fit in with the cult scene. One alternate, and very loose possible explanation, is that she is somehow Marie Antoinette. This is hinted at by the inscription on the wall that is seen where Benji is sitting, AD1793, which is the year that Marie was executed.

Marie also had a child named Sophie who died before her first birthday, possibly explaining the child in her arms. Once again, this theory does not well explain the cult scene, nor does it explain why she would be targeting Benji, or what she would be doing at the club.

What was Benji’s sin?

Dante’s Inferno: Navigating the Complexities of Hell in ‘As Above, So Below’ “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” These words scrawled across the walls beneath the Paris Catacombs mark the entrance to Hell for the characters in As Above, So Below, They herald in a nightmarish final act. The very same words that mark the gates to Hell in writer Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, the first part of his epic poem of Divine Comedy,

• Inferno tells of Dante’s journey through the nine circles of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil.
• Their journey begins on Good Friday, and the pair emerges from Hell early on Easter morning under a starry sky.
• Though As Above, So Below draws from various mythologies, it’s Dante’s Inferno and its complex rendering of Hell that most closely mirrors protagonist Scarlett Marlowe’s quest, making for an atypical found footage film that offers impressively layered world-building.

Our introduction to Scarlett ( Perdita Weeks ) begins with a video confession of illegal doing; the accomplished scholar is sneaking into Iran to explore a cave system on the cusp of demolition. The video would be an explanation of her actions if she were to die on her journey.

The punishment for being caught, after all, is “burial up to your neck in sand.” These are among the first words the character speaks in the film, and it’s already referencing Dante’s poem. Namely, the ninth circle of Hell known as Treachery, reserved for traitors and betrayers. Dante finds traitors to their kin here, buried in a lake of ice where only their heads and necks are exposed.

More than just a tip of the hat to the Hellish nightmare ahead, it’s a reference to Scarlett’s emotional journey; she harbors immense guilt over her father’s suicide. In not being there for him in his darkest hour, she feels that she betrayed him and internalizes it as a driving force to complete his work in uncovering the philosopher’s stone. Scarlett barely makes it out of the cave alive, but not before discovering a mythic statue that doubles as the inciting event, a “Rose Key” statue full of Aramaic writing that gives insight to the location of the stone. A statue that resembles a centaur, wardens of the lower circles of Hell.

• Scarlett enlists her former lover George ( Ben Feldman ) to translate, with documentary filmmaker Benji ( Edwin Hodge ) in tow.
• Using Scarlett’s father’s notebook with drawings of the Nine Circles of Hell, they deduce that the stone is likely in the bowels of the Catacombs.
• A mysterious figure directs them to seek out Papillon ( François Civil ) as a guide, who brings along friends Siouxie ( Marion Lambert ) and Zed ( Ali Marhyar ) to help collect the promised treasure as payment.

The group finds themselves trapped almost immediately after venturing into the off-limits section of the Catacombs. They’re steered into an ominous, boarded up tunnel Papillon is afraid of; he warns that people who go into the tunnel never come out again, including his friend La Taupe.

1. They encounter La Taupe not long after, who harbors resentment that Papillon and Siouxie never looked for him, but offers to guide the group to an exit anyway.
2. La Taupe, or The Mole, seems most representative of Dante’s description of those in Limbo.
3. Limbo is essentially Purgatory, and La Taupe seems doomed to remain forever stuck in the bowels of the Catacombs.

The only way out is down. That they descend through a well is significant. Scarlett explains the phrase “as above, so below” is the key to all magic. What happens in one reality occurs in another, presenting a bizarre mirror-like symmetry to their voyage. Dante, half-way through his life, begins his journey spiritually lost. More than just a guide to Hell, Virgil becomes his guide to virtue and mortal. That’s mirrored in Scarlett, reckless and reeling from the loss of her father, and George, the strict rule-abiding ethical anchor.

• Much of George’s fear for breaking the law stems from spending time in a Turkish prison before the events of the film, which also parallel’s Virgil in that he detailed his personal trip through Hell in his poem Aeneid,
• As the pair descend through the circles of Hell, they encounter various sinners in torment.

This is reflected in the other characters; all lured and trapped by sin. Papillon is confronted by a sin from his past that resulted in death. He refuses to claim responsibility, and Hell dooms him as a result. Instead of being frozen in a lake, he’s frozen in stone.

1. Benji’s background and sin are less transparent, but his consistent notice of the Pagan woman seems to hint his sin is lust, the second circle of Hell.
2. Siouxie’s death at the hands of a demonic La Taupe is also less defined.
3. Still, considering his first words of warning were directed at her, it’s safe to assume she harbored immense guilt over his disappearance prior.

The Star of David that they find on the ceiling just before entering the gate of Hell spells out exactly how the film will end, with three points above and three points below. Of the six that descended into the catacombs, three made it back to the surface just before dawn, and three remain trapped below in the bowels of Hell.

1. The three that survived acknowledged their sins and rejection of sin is essentially the point of Inferno,
2. You can only escape Hell by confessing and then atoning for your sins.
3. As Above, So Below incorporates a little bit of everything, from Egyptian history to Knights of Templar, to alchemist mythology and religion.

At its core, though, it’s a modern retelling of Dante’s Inferno, It’s not just the expansive depths of the Catacombs, intertwined with French writer and alchemist Nicolas Flamel’s connection to the philosopher’s stone, that made this an apt setting for the film.

It’s that the further into Hell that Virgil and Dante descended, the smaller it became. What better way to represent that than with an ever-increasing claustrophobic underground system? Found footage is a subgenre that relies on simplicity to relay its story and allow for maximum chills. Instead, As Above, So Below went as involved as possible, presenting endless layers to peel back the more you watch it.

It doesn’t get nearly as gruesome as Dante’s poem, but it’s a fantastic entry point with some horrific imagery. The film doesn’t specify when exactly it takes place, but since it so closely follows Dante’s journey, it makes for perfect Easter viewing. Pictured: ‘Call of Cthulhu’ As Lovecraft once put it, “the oldest and strongest kind of fear is the fear of the unknown,” which I think perfectly summarizes why cosmic horror stories are so effective. Commonly defined as a subgenre of fiction that derives scares from existential and/or incomprehensible threats, cosmic horror presents us with situations where knowledge isn’t necessarily power and the protagonists can’t always win.

And with video games allowing players to virtually experience stories instead of merely observing them, it makes sense that developers frequently borrow from Lovecraftian fiction when attempting to tell deranged yarns. However, not all cosmic scares are created equal, so we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six of the most disturbing moments of cosmic horror in video games.

After all, it’s worth remembering that horror gaming has the potential for more than mere jump scares and repetitive zombie killing. For the purposes of this list, we’ll be including specific scares regardless of the overall quality of the game they came from.

• With that out of the way, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite cosmic frights if you think we missed a particularly memorable one.
• Now, onto the list
• 6. Brain of Mensis Encounter – Bloodborne (2015)

A playable love-letter to Lovecraftian fiction, there’s no discussing interactive cosmic horror without bringing up FromSoft’s iconic Bloodborne, But even in a game chock-full of Eldritch abominations and madness-inducing horrors, one particular moment stands out as an eerie reminder of how helpless the player character is against the incomprehensible nightmares of Yharnam.

• Naturally, I’m referring to the first encounter with the Brain of Mensis, a Shoggoth-inspired monster so repulsive that it inflicts players with “frenzy” if you happen to move into its line of sight.
• While there are objectively scarier encounters in the game (and the fact that you can technically kill the Brain means that it’s not as esoteric as it appears), the idea that merely making eye contact with this thing is enough to drive you mad makes this a great example of cosmic horror.5.

First Photo of “The Frog” – Iron Lung (2022) Set in a distant future where habitable planets have disappeared and moons are flooding with human blood, the general setting of Iron Lung already verges on cosmic horror as the player character is tasked with navigating a treacherous ocean in the slim hopes of acquiring life-sustaining resources.

• That being said, I’d argue that the absolute peak of this aquatic horror experience comes in the form of the low-resolution pictures that help you navigate the bloody trenches of AT-5.
• More specifically, I’d like to highlight the first time you spot the creepy “Frog” fish lurking in the crimson waters surrounding you.

The real horror here doesn’t come from the monster itself – which is basically just an oversized angler fish – but the terrible implication that you’re only seeing a small fraction of what really haunts these waters.4. Fighting Dagon – Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (2005) Muddled graphics and janky mechanics may keep Dark Corners of the Earth from being a bona fide masterpiece, but there’s no denying that it’s the most faithful Lovecraft adaptation this side of the H.P. Lovecraft Society’s faux silent film adaptation of Call of Cthulhu,

• In fact, even though the game tasks you with battling several of the author’s indescribable creations, even some of the combat encounters here are meant to remind you of how small humanity is in the grand scheme of things.
• My personal favorite of these existential horrors occurs during an unexpected boss fight against the lord of the Deep Ones himself, Father Dagon.

As the kaiju-sized deity lays siege to a coast guard ship, the player is tasked with firing the massive deck guns in the monster’s general direction– with the catch being that looking directly at Dagon is enough to drive our protagonist to suicide, adding an additionally disturbing challenge to an already frightening encounter.3. Phobia Game Studio’s Carrion may put you in the shoes of a Lovecraftian abomination instead of making you run from one, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in cosmic scares. In fact, at the end of your journey as a Shoggoth-like mass of tentacled flesh, players eventually manage to recover enough genetic code to assume the form of a complete human being and escape into a quarantined city.

While the game only hints at the apocalyptic chaos that ensues, this John-Carpenter-esque reveal adds another level of terror as you reflect on the consequences of your rampage as you aided this carnivorous monster in escaping from its captors – with that slowly-dawning dread being the reason why Carrion earns a place on this list.2.

Becoming Trapped in the Dark Place – Alan Wake (2010) In general, Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake is more spooky than legitimately scary, playing with literary horror tropes inspired by the likes of Stephen King and Neil Gaiman. However, this playfulness doesn’t extend to the game’s finale, which sees our author protagonist become trapped in the abstract Dark Place as he’s forced to continue writing indefinitely in order to keep the eldritch forces of Cauldron Lake at bay.

1. No doubt inspired by Lovecraft’s The Music of Erich Zann, an underrated short story where the titular musician is forced to play bizarre music every night in an effort to protect our reality from otherworldly invaders, this downer ending exemplifies the absolute best of cosmic horror, placing our protagonist in a never-ending battle that he can never truly overcome.
2. That is, until the sequel comes around
3. 1. Becoming a Great Soft Jelly Thing – I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream (1995)

Harlon Ellison is rightly remembered as one of the greatest speculative fiction writers of his generation, but I’d also argue that the author was a pioneer of adventure gaming, having co-developed an innovative adaptation of his infamous short story I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream,

Working alongside Cyberdreams and The Dreamers Guild, Ellison didn’t merely translate his disturbing tale of an AI gone rogue to 90s computers, he actually reworked the entire project into a psychosexual drama with incredibly disturbing imagery and multiple endings. However, out of the seven possible conclusions, five of them still contain the same nightmarish fate featured in the short story, with the player character being transformed into an immortal “Great Soft Jelly Thing” meant to endure incomprehensible suffering as punishment for helping his fellow humans.

Now that’s cosmic horror. : Dante’s Inferno: Navigating the Complexities of Hell in ‘As Above, So Below’

Is As Above, So Below appropriate?

As Above, So Below Rating & Content Info – Please Note: We have not viewed this movie. The information below is a summary based on data gathered from government and industry sponsored film classification agencies in various global regions. Why is As Above, So Below rated R? As Above, So Below is rated R by the MPAA for bloody violence/terror, and language throughout.

This additional information about the movie’s content is taken from the notes of various Canadian Film Classification boards: Violence: – Frequent non-graphic violence. – Brief explicit violence. – Violent acts shown in a realistic manner, with detail, blood and tissue damage. – Depictions of beating and burning.

– Several frightening scenes depicting supernatural beings. – Infrequent portrayals of gruesome violence and deaths, with some blood and detail. – Frequent portrayals of frightening images, with some blood and detail. – Gory and grotesque images. – Upsetting and disturbing scenes.

Who said As Above, So Below as within so without?

Quote by Hermes Trismegistus : ‘As above, so below, as within, so without, as t’

What is the meaning of above and under?

Brainer “Over vs Above” and “Under vs below” Is is possible to say that “Above” means “over” and “Under” means”below”, but not the opposite? According to my grammar: Over – In a higher position (close or touching) Above – In a higher position Under – In a lower position (close or touching) Below – In a lower position Examples: There’s a helicopter flying round above / over the school.