Released: August 2006(USA)
Director: Neil Marshall
Rated R/Unrated
Run Time: 99 Minutes
Distributor: Lionsgate Studios
Genre: Horror
Cast:
Shauna MacDonald: Sarah
Natalie Mendoza: Juno
Alex Reid: Beth
Saskia Mulder: Rebecca
MyAnna Buring: Sam
Nora-Jane Noone: Holly
The best horror movies, like most movies in general, depend entirely on their ability to not just scare people, but to tell a coherent and compelling story. It’s not always about the gore or shock value, even though those values can be attributed to horror. However, the great ones are able to balance not only top-notch scares, but also strong character development, atmosphere and tension. I’ll be honest: Most horror movies these days are generally recycled garbage, with most of them either being remakes, sequels, or spineless teenage-pandering trash. Part of the problem is that certain movie studios want to try and appeal to everyone, but by doing so, they end up alienating the fan-base that they need the most in a bizarre sense of irony. I’m not saying that every horror movie should strive to be as shocking or as depraved as something like say….Cannibal Holocaust. No. As much as I appreciate that film, there’s no way in hell that I could recommend that to a general audience on a rainy day. On the flip-side, I can’t recommend movies like Twilight or Slender Man because the film-makers don’t seem to understand what makes a decent horror movie. If your movie has nothing but jump-scares, then you’ve failed as a film-maker and as a story-teller. But for those film-makers willing to take a risk and give us a horror movie that we can get behind, then horror fans will generally have your back, even if you make a misstep every once in a while. That brings me to Neil Marshall’s The Descent.
The film begins as Sarah and her friends are enjoying a rafting trip, only for the trip to end in tragedy. A year later, Sarah and her American friend Juno are travelling to meet more of their friends for an afternoon of cave exploration. They find a cave that Juno was scouting out and they make their way down. After a tunnel collapses, trapping the women, it’s revealed that Juno had led them into an undiscovered cave system. With the entrance cut off, the women have to find another way, only to find that they are not alone. The Descent’s got some serious guts for starting the way it did with a horrific tragedy. What it does, though, is set the tone for what kind of movie that we’re about to experience. Story-wise, this really is nothing new. In fact, it borrows liberally from other films like Alien. Unlike other movies that claim to be inspired by Alien, The Descent gets it right. Instead of outer space, we’re dropped with the women into a cave of impenetrable darkness. Truth be told, I find the idea of being stuck underground far more terrifying than being in space. The film does take a little bit of time to get going after that initial jolt, but that’s to introduce us to our main characters and to allow us to connect with them. That is the mark of a really good horror film. If you thought Alien was claustrophobic, The Descent takes that sensation and amps it up to 25. Atmosphere is important in a film like this, and The Descent has it in spades.
When it comes to story-telling, the characters need to be the driving force for any film, horror or otherwise. Neil Marshall’s film, thankfully, has some really strong characters. I’ve always been an advocate for strong women in horror movies. Too often, we see women as these helpless and fragile things that are used to either sex up a movie or as helpless victims. It’s very refreshing to see a movie that focuses on really strong and well-written women….mostly. While most of them do end up as victims, they don’t go quietly or without a fight. These characters aren’t stupid, either. They make the best and most rational way that they know how, but they also behave in a way that’s very realistic when faced with a very grim situation. Because these ladies are written well, we, as an audience want them to be able to survive their ordeal. Sarah, in particular is a character that has suffered the most with the personal tragedy that she endures at the beginning of the film. We don’t really see her give up. In fact, as the film goes on, we see her become a serious bad-ass. Well done, movie. Well done.
With The Descent being set deep underground, it makes sense for the sets to be relatively small and claustrophobic. It’s to help sell the illusion that Sarah and friends are in a very alien environment. When I said the film borrows from Alien, I meant it. The tight spaces and rough interiors help to provide a window into a very inhospitable world. This is also a monster movie. These creatures are nasty and vicious. They’re blind, so they hunt by sound. They also don’t hesitate to start tearing our characters to pieces when everything does go down. This is a pretty gruesome movie. It’s got some really fantastic gore and creature designs. These are guys in suits, so there’s very little in the way of CGI. The only thing that really stood out to me was that in certain scenes, you could tell they were standing in front of a green screen. Given the film’s budget, it’s pretty understandable, and it’s not always distracting. It’s just something that I noticed, especially when watching the film on Blu-Ray. Overall, the set, character, and creature designs are all absolutely fantastic. The film doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the action. The pacing is also really good. The first act of the film sets up the characters and then it’s a roller-coaster ride into hell. It’s fantastic.
Before I wrap this up, I want to mention something, particularly about the film’s ending. It could be considered a bit of a spoiler, so if you haven’t seen the film, click the close button on your browser and go see this movie. Make sure you see the Unrated version. The reason I bring up the ending right now, is because there were two endings shot for the film. The original ending shot for the film has more of a nihilistic bent to it, but it does fit in with the other themes surrounding the character of Sarah. That version was the version that folks in the United Kingdom got to see. In the United States, however, the ending was altered to have a more…”upbeat” ending. While it’s not awful, it feels out of place, especially since the sequel to the film is built off the American ending. The less said about The Descent 2, the better. With all that in mind, The Descent is a fantastic horror experience that I urge fans to seek out, if they haven’t already. It is one of the best horror movies of the last 20 years. It does have small problems, but those are basically nitpicks and can easily be ignored. If you’re a fan of horror, do yourself a favor and check this out.
My Final Recommendation: I’m never going into another cave for as long as I live. 9.5/10