THE DESCENT
As a fan horror movies I have found it increasingly troublesome over the last couple years that we are just getting inundated with one nearly unwatchable wanna-be scare-fest after another. I’m looking at you Saw, The Grudge and Ring 2. With the exception of Eli Roth’s films, most of these movies have just been a complete waste of time based on Hollywood economics.
So how’s The Descent different? Well, it’s not. It’s actually fairly simply. A bunch of women go cave diving and there’s a cave in. Once they’re trapped they then have find another way out, but they are not alone. Little did they know a mile beneath the Earth’s surface there lives a race of flesh eating humanoids perfectly adapted to living in total darkness.
Sure, there are all sorts of problems here. With the exception of two people, there’s little to no character development. The only two characters that we really know anything about are basically that way just for the convenience of the plot. Most of these women have no real characters besides being a school teacher, scared or an adrenaline junkie. Not to mention, you’d have to be a complete idiot to get yourself and your friends in this position. Especially if one or more of those friends are inexperienced cave divers. It is nice, however, to see a group of women in a horror movie that can kick a little ass instead of just screaming and running away.
The creatures themselves really adhere nothing that would even resemble continuity. Speaking of stuff that resembles other stuff, someone should give Peter Jackson a call, because these things look like Gollum with ‘roid rage. Supposedly, the creatures are able to move around the darkness using some sort of bat-like echo location. That’s all well and good, but at times they are blatantly able to see. Not only that, but they can walk all around and even touch these women, but as long they are silent these monsters can’t find them. Ridiculous, I know.
This may came as a surprise and I don’t know how else to say this, but I really enjoyed this movie. Look, the first part of this film does an excellent job of portraying a real sense of claustrophobia. Once you’ve been forced to endure that and squirm for a while the real fun begins. After the cave in, the victims get separated from each other and are forced to do whatever, however futile it may be, they can to survive while listening to the other members of their party being picked off and eaten somewhere in the distance.
Look, I’m not saying this is The Godfather, but by the same token this is one wildly entertaining film. Alright, it’s got some cheap scares but it also has some effectively uncomfortable moments coupled with gore filled action sequences. All you really need to know is this:
Subterranean Cannibals + Numerous Pick Axe Deaths = Good Times.
The Grade
- Story: B-
- Acting: B-
- Visuals: A
- Originality: B
- Enjoyability: A+
- Overall: A-
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