Directed by:
Neil MarshallScreenplay:
Neil MarshallCinematography:
Sam McCurdyComposer:
David JulyanCast:
Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring, Nora-Jane Noone, Oliver Milburn, Molly Kayll, Craig Conway, Stephen Lamb (more)Plots(1)
One year after a tragic accident, six girlfriends meet in a remote part of the Appalachians for their annual caving trip. Deep below the surface of the earth, disaster strikes when a rock falls and blocks their route back to the surface. The girls soon learn that Juno, the thrill-seeking leader of the expedition, has brought them to an unexplored cave and that as a result no knows where they are to come rescue them. The group splinters and each push on, praying for another exit. But there is something else lurking under the earth - a race of monstrous humanoid creatures that are adapted perfectly to life in the dark. As the friends realize they are now prey, they are forced to unleash their most primal instincts in an all-out war against an unspeakable horror - one that attacks without warning, again and again and again. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (10)
The simple premise incorporated into a meandering screenplay was used quite flexibly by director Neil Marshall to his advantage. Today, creating a well-blended mix of latex creatures, atmospheric emotions, and captivating soundscapes is almost impossible. What initially appears as a hopeless survival for the group of heroines brings something in the second half that perfectly glues you to your seat. I have no objections to the director's creativity until the end, which not only begins to rely on an overly "polished" plot but also pushes the lack of credibility of the characters to an unbearable extent. Indeed, the position in which the heroines are introduced at the beginning certainly does not correspond to the ending, where one of them stands majestically astride one of their "prey." Because of that, and also due to the contrived psychology, which is more detrimental and creates an unsightly mess among the relationships of the characters, I will refrain from giving it the highest rating. And I'm supposed to climb a mountain after this?
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Gollum. Gollum. At the beginning it looks like it’s panning out interestingly, but it gradually descends into the darkness of tiresome mediocrity. This story about cavers isn’t at all horrifying, atmospheric or even interesting. If you suffer from claustrophobia, then I would think long and hard before watching it. It is suspenseful only until the moment when the fount of evil turns up. Then it becomes a classic genre movie with needlessly hectic and confusing editing. Interestingly made from a technical point of view, an appealing environment, but overall nothing special. In terms of genre, this movie is related to The Cave, which is so ridiculous that it is unforgettable and, in a way, you have a good time watching. But there is no chance of that with this movie.
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A genre delicacy that makes the most of its setting in a claustrophobic cave environment. Like they say, less is sometimes more, so in this case I wouldn't be afraid of an infantile paraphrase where less is definitely more. At the same time, one can't help but notice how originally very sweet girls gradually become freak killing machines. It's a film that doesn't lose focus and never really lets you breathe. Totally awesome. [90%]
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The characters and the conflicts between them are not great, but the horror storyline is excellent. Neil Marshall moves skillfully in the limited setting, conjuring from it a dense atmosphere of isolation and opening a new door every ten minutes. The scares are perfect, the “bad guys” are terrifying and repulsive, and the quick-motion filming is impressive. And the final action posturing is less awkward than you would expect. Plus a few nice nods to horror connoisseurs (music from The Thing, eye gouging from The Evil Dead...). The Descent is an above-average genre flick conjured up from an average screenplay and a big step forward for the director after Dog Soldiers.
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A convincingly claustrophobic and evocative minimalist horror film that is stunning in the way it makes the viewer feel what the characters feel, trapped and lost in the dark cramped cave passages. But the film works on multiple levels. Mainly because of the relationships between the characters. It's not so much about their confrontation with the cave monsters, but rather how they begin to relate to each other during it. The story also metaphors the main character's uncomfortable overcoming of grief after the death of her husband. But I can't help it - there's almost nothing to see in this film. And sometimes it's hard to tell the characters apart in the darkness. It doesn't help that all of them are wearing helmets most of the time, and they get progressively dirtier and bloodier.
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