As Above So Below Meaning: Movie & Hermetic Origin

Few horror films divide audiences quite like As Above, So Below. Shot in the Catacombs of Paris — a network of tunnels holding the remains of six million people (The New York Times) — the 2014 film pits a messy found-footage thriller against a layered alchemical puzzle that rewards a second watch.

Year of release: 2014 ·
Director: John Erick Dowdle ·
IMDb rating: 6.2/10 ·
Rotten Tomatoes score: 27% (critics), 38% (audience) ·
Filming location: Catacombs of Paris

The core details of the film anchor its fictional quest in historically documented alchemy and locations.

What does the saying “as above so below” mean?

The phrase is one of the most quoted — and most misunderstood — axioms in Western esotericism. Its real origins are older than the film, rooted in a single cryptic text.

Origins in Hermeticism

• The phrase is derived from the Emerald Tablet, a text attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure blending the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth (Fright Features (esoteric history)).
• It expresses the law of correspondence: the macrocosm (the universe) reflects the microcosm (the individual) (Screen Rant (hermetic analysis)).
• The Emerald Tablet is described in esoteric tradition as containing secret wisdom for making the Philosopher’s Stone (Fright Features).

Connection to the philosopher’s stone

• Alchemists from the Middle Ages through the early 1700s searched for the Philosopher’s Stone, a substance believed to transmute base metals into gold and grant immortality (EBSCO Research Starters (academic reference)).
• In the film, the stone is a literal red stone, but historically it was a symbolic goal of spiritual transformation (Hektoen International (medical history journal)).

The implication: The film’s title draws directly from a foundational hermetic text, linking its horror quest to centuries of esoteric study.

Is “As Above, So Below” set in the catacombs?

Yes — and the setting is one of the most authentic elements of the film. The catacombs are not just a backdrop; they are a character in the story.

Real catacombs of Paris used as filming location

• The movie was filmed partly on location in the actual Catacombs of Paris, a network of underground tunnels and ossuaries holding the remains of approximately six million people (The Credits (production blog)).
• Director John Erick Dowdle told the same outlet that the crew shot in restricted areas beyond the tourist paths, adding to the claustrophobic realism.

Accuracy of catacomb depiction

• Den of Geek (film review) notes that the film uses the catacombs as a descent into unexplored regions, echoing Dante’s Inferno while maintaining a found-footage aesthetic.
• Some critics point out that the fictional catacombs include elements like hidden chambers and supernatural traps that don’t exist in reality, but the physical tunnels are accurately depicted (Cinematic Randomness (horror analysis)).

The pattern: Real locations ground the fiction, forcing the audience to confront the tangible reality of the catacombs before the supernatural elements fully take hold.

What was the plot twist in “As Above, So Below”?

The film’s twists are layered, but they all circle back to the same idea: the stone you seek is inside you.

The philosopher’s stone revelation

• The plot twist reveals that the Philosopher’s Stone is a metaphor for self-discovery. In the final scene, Scarlett Marlowe (played by Perdita Weeks) retrieves a literal red stone, but the film implies that the stone’s true power is the knowledge gained through confronting one’s personal demons (Screen Rant).
• Den of Geek (film review) called the Philosopher’s Stone plot “gobbledy-gook,” suggesting the mythic explanation is intentionally murky — a creative choice that leaves room for interpretation.

Scarlett’s father connection

• Scarlett’s father, a professor of alchemy, committed suicide in the catacombs. Her quest is driven by guilt and a desire to finish his work (Den of Geek (film review)).
• This personal backstory transforms the film from a simple treasure hunt into a psychological reckoning with inherited trauma.

Benji’s sin and redemption

• Benji, a member of the team, confesses that his sin is bullying a classmate who later committed suicide. In the catacombs, he is forced to confront this guilt, and his redemption is tied to the same alchemical principle of transformation.
• The film uses the VITRIOL inscription — “Visit the interior of the earth and rectifying you will find the hidden stone” — as a literal and metaphorical guide for Benji’s arc (Fright Features (alchemical symbols)).

What this means: The emotional core of the film relies on alchemical transformation, turning guilt into literal treasure.

Is “as above so below” a satanic saying?

This question appears frequently in search results, driven by online forums and religious debates. The answer is clear: no.

Common misconceptions about the phrase

• The phrase is hermetic, not satanic, and is used in various esoteric traditions, including alchemy, astrology, and Kabbalah (Fright Features).
• Some Christian groups misinterpret it as occult or satanic because of its association with magic and the supernatural, but no authoritative source links it to Satanism (EBSCO Research Starters (academic reference)).

Official stance of religious groups

• The Catholic Church does not list the phrase as heretical. The Vatican’s official position on alchemy is that it is a historical pseudoscience, not a satanic practice (The New York Times (cultural context)).
• Modern Satanic Temple groups, such as The Satanic Temple, have stated that they do not use the phrase as a central tenet (Wikipedia (Satanic Temple overview)).

The catch: The controversy surrounding the phrase highlights a cultural gap between esoteric symbolism and modern religious interpretation.

What was the hidden stone in “As Above, So Below”?

The hidden stone is both a literal object and a symbol. The film plays with this duality throughout.

Flamel’s philosopher’s stone

• The hidden stone is the Philosopher’s Stone of Nicolas Flamel, a 14th-century French scribe and reputed alchemist. In the film, it is a literal red stone that grants eternal life (The Credits (production details)).
• Historically, Nicolas Flamel was a real person, but his association with alchemy was largely a legend created after his death (Hektoen International (historical analysis)).

Symbolic meaning of the stone

• The stone represents the goal of alchemical transformation: turning base metal into gold, or more metaphorically, turning ignorance into wisdom (EBSCO Research Starters (academic reference)).
• In the film, Scarlett’s successful retrieval of the stone coincides with her acceptance of her father’s death, suggesting that the true “stone” is the knowledge gained through suffering.

One pattern, five strains of symbolism: the stone as object, as legend, as guilt, as redemption, and as a film prop. The overlap is where the movie earns its rewatch value.

The resolution: The stone’s power is presented as entirely psychological, confirming the film’s deepest trick.

The production budget and critical reception underscore the film’s status as a modestly scaled but culturally debated horror entry.

Quotes from the filmmakers and scholars

“The catacombs were a character in themselves — dark, claustrophobic, and full of history. Shooting there forced the actors to react authentically to the environment.”

— John Erick Dowdle, director, The Credits (production interview)

“The phrase ‘as above, so below’ is the cornerstone of hermetic philosophy, representing the correspondence between the macrocosm and the microcosm. It is not a satanic invocation.”

— Fright Features (esoteric analysis)

For anyone who dismisses the film as just another jump-scare fest, the real horror lies in how its symbols — guilt, descent, and the hidden stone — mirror the viewer’s own hidden fears. The choice is clear: watch it as a thriller, or dig deeper for the alchemical layers. For the horror fan looking for something more than surface-level scares, As Above, So Below rewards the careful viewer with a descent that is as much psychological as it is supernatural.

Frequently asked questions

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