Review: As Above, So Below 2014

This movie is HORRIFICALLY UNDERRATED, I was absolutely shocked (the husband too!) at how awful the reviews for this film were!!! I read reviews before watching and then spent the whole time waiting for the reason behind the thrashing it took from the critics…. I got nothing. “As Above, So Below” is always decent, often great, and throws in a hefty helping of AWESOME, plus plenty of lesser known information (and a ton of interesting speculation) about the practice of Alchemy, the Catacombs of Paris, Nicholas Flamel, and the elusive “Philosopher’s Stone”!
“As Above, So Below” follows Scarlett Marlowe, a young Archaeologist who has dedicated her life to the study of Alchemy and the search for the Philosopher’s Stone. Scarlett learns that the stone may be hidden deep within the Catacombs of Paris, so she gets together a team and as they delve deeper into the underground passages than anyone has ever dared before, they find out why. Luckily, Scarlett has spent her whole life preparing for the challenges that lay ahead and, with the help of a few friends with interesting talents, she makes for quite the leader as they try to work out the correct way through the very complicated maze, and try to get back out. However, it seems that, somehow, the only way to get back to the surface, is to go deeper and deeper down…
The whole movie is basically a series of puzzles, with Alchemy as the guide, and my husband and I found it absolutely thought-provoking and totally engaging! Not to mention, the majority of the movie really is filmed in the actual Catacombs, and at least one of the main actors was genuinely claustrophobic! So, these elements really add to the feeling of reality in the movie. Add in a strong, smart (British!) female lead; a variety of Alchemy-based puzzles; and a very interesting theory about the Philosopher’s stone and what may dwell in the the depths of the Catacombs, down which, no one dares venture; and you have one hell of a fascinating and enthralling film! Sure, there are a few leads in the movie that don’t really go anywhere, and there’s a moment or two that I didn’t understand, but these slight issues are fleeting and easily overlooked or forgotten. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed “As Above, So Below”, and I implore you to disregard all of the unfair criticism of this film (I mean seriously, people compare it to “The Blair Witch Project”! I assure you, “As Above, So Below” is far better than “TBWP”, stuff actually HAPPENS in “AASB”, lotsa stuff…interesting stuff!), please watch it and decide for yourself..