In this post, I review the horror film As Above, So Below (2014) for the #scrobblelife contest. I analyze its plot, its connection to Dante's Inferno, and the true meaning of its ending.
Hey guys, today's review is pretty terrifying. It has a little bit of everything if you look at it from different perspectives: horror, claustrophobia, obsession, guilt, and accepting your mistakes to achieve redemption. I confess I had to do quite a bit of research for this post, because I even learned that thanks to those people who dedicated themselves to searching for the philosopher's stone, turning metals into gold, and pursuing eternal life, the study of modern chemistry was born—which I found fascinating! Furthermore, the plot bears a striking resemblance to a rather dense and difficult book I skimmed in high school: Dante's Inferno.
The film is called As Above, So Below (2014).
The plot follows Scarlett, a very persistent girl and obsessed with finding the mystical artifact capable of turning lead into gold and granting eternal life. After discovering a hidden key, she recruits George and a group of explorers eager to find a supposed treasure and convinces them to descend into unexplored areas beneath Paris. As they venture deeper into the earth, the geography defies the laws of physics, and strange, terrifying, and illogical events begin to occur, including flashbacks and circumstances experienced by the characters in another timeline. As the film progresses, the environment begins to reflect the traumas, guilt, and dark secrets of each character's past.
Because of these unfolding situations, they understand that what's happening inside is related to unresolved issues from their past or unfinished business they need to address, and that the only way out is likely to confront them.
The Meaning of the Ending and the Moral
Without revealing details of the preceding events, the survival of some of the characters at the end directly corresponds to the principle that gives the film its title: "As above, so below; as within, so without."
As Above, So Below: The Central Moral
To escape one's personal "hell," one must first confront guilt and assume individual responsibility. While the characters tried to escape their ghosts or deny their past mistakes, the catacombs consumed them. It was necessary to confront life, with all its guilt and successes, in order to move forward and escape the dark abyss into which they had fallen.
From my perspective, I believe the greatest lesson I learned from watching this film is: Self-forgiveness and acceptance of inner truth are the only tools for salvation. The Philosopher's Stone was not simply, as they believed, an external magical object, but a symbol of personal transformation and the purification of the soul. The three who managed to escape did so by facing their demons head-on and releasing the weight of their guilt. And they understood that the greatest treasure we have is life itself.
I think the movie is very good because it handles horror, suspense, and intrigue very effectively. However, I believe that to realize our mistakes and shortcomings as people, it's not necessary to experience something as terrifying as what the characters in this story go through. I understand that it's fiction and needs all those dramatic elements that fascinated me, but from my point of view, we can reflect on our lives and change without having to go through so much pain and horror.
I hope you liked it, guys. This is my first entry for the Scrobblelife Halloween Party The League contest organized by @wiseagent in the Scrobblelife community.
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Rating: 85/100