The Descent

From AwardAnnals

Reviews

Amazon.com

Claustrophobia and bloody mayhem collide in the high-adrenaline horror flick The Descent. Six women (including one who lost her husband and child the year before, and one who harbors a bitter secret) spelunk in an unexplored cavern system that turns out to harbor mysterious, predatory creatures. That sums up the story, but—as with writer-director Neil Marshall’s previous low-concept movie, Dog Soldiers—the plot doesn’t begin to describe the riveting, stomach-lurching thrills this movie provides. The script affords the relatively unknown cast (led by Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza, both excellent) just enough room to make their characters distinct and genuine, so that when they’re dropped into utmost peril our empathy is engaged as much as our fear. The dynamic direction and editing make the cavern a palpable, physical presence, even before the creepy beasts crawl out of their nooks. This is not a movie for everyone; it is extremely gruesome and will induce panic attacks in anyone with even a mild fear of closed spaces. But for anyone seeking something smarter, faster, and more wrenching than static torture-fests like Saw or Hostel, The Descent will draw you into its unsettling ooze. —Bret Fetzer

Barnes and Noble

Recovering from a personal trauma, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) agrees to accompany five female friends on a spelunking trip in South Carolina. The group's take-charge leader, Juno (Natalie Mendoza), gets all six women lost two miles below ground, where cannibalistic cave dwellers await. The Descent was lauded in some quarters as a "progressive" gore film because its protagonists were rugged women not content to die without putting up a fight. We wouldn't go that far, but Neil Marshall’s sophomore outing as a horror-film director certainly deserves praise. It's lean and taut, reflecting unusual care in every phase of production. The atavistic “dwellers” are particularly impressive; kudos to the makeup department for creating such horrifying-looking creatures. The gore effects are also convincing, although the best ones aren't seen until late in the game. Clearly, Marshall wanted the horror to build slowly and not overwhelm the audience early on. And he allots more than the usual amount of footage to group dynamics, showing how friendships dissolve and long-submerged feelings come to the surface as the party's situation becomes increasingly desperate. Ed Hulse