As Above, So Below
A band of explorers, led by a scholar specializing in the history of alchemy (Perdita Weeks) and guided by a Parisian street hustler (François Civil) ventures into the catacombs under the streets of Paris in search of the philosopher's stone, that mystical rock that can turn base metals to gold. Then all hell breaks loose—literally. Or apparently? Frankly, it's hard to tell. The script by director John Erick Dowdle and his brother Drew is so murky, and the brothers' grip on their narrative is so shaky. Even murkier and shakier is Léo Hinstin's cinematography, recycling yet again the insufferable cliché of found video footage. (Dear God, will we never be rid of The Blair Witch Project?) The movie boasts little suspense, few scares, and no stars—only a gang of hungry unknowns eager to be in a hit.
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