The Descent (2006) (R)
Directed by Neil Marshall
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Daddy Says:
It's been a long time since I've seen a really good horror movie. Most of them have characters I could care less about, serving the function of walking targets for whatever killer/stalker is lurking about. Classic horror films such as The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, and Halloween seem to be a thing of the past. At least, that's what I thought before watching The Descent.
The Descent is the story of six adventurous girls looking for their next thrill. In this case, it involves descending into caves and exploring. Sarah, played by Shauna MacDonald, is still trying to get over the tragic loss of her husband and child in a car accident. And as the girls go deeper into the caves, things go from bad to worse. There are creatures living below the surface, and they're out for blood.
This movie reminded me of Night of the Living Dead in many ways. A group of people are trapped in a small area; the claustrophobic atmosphere is palpable. Whereas in Living Dead, the group is trying to keep the monsters outside, in The Descent, the monsters are trapped inside with the group who are trying to find a way out. I also enjoyed the way the movie wrapped up. It's not exactly what I'd call a happy ending, but it felt logical and satisfying.
If you're looking for an intense, scary experience, well-directed and acted, with characters you can actually care about before they start getting killed off, this is the movie for you.
Rating for The Descent: ****1/4
Directed by Neil Marshall
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Daddy Says:
It's been a long time since I've seen a really good horror movie. Most of them have characters I could care less about, serving the function of walking targets for whatever killer/stalker is lurking about. Classic horror films such as The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, and Halloween seem to be a thing of the past. At least, that's what I thought before watching The Descent.
The Descent is the story of six adventurous girls looking for their next thrill. In this case, it involves descending into caves and exploring. Sarah, played by Shauna MacDonald, is still trying to get over the tragic loss of her husband and child in a car accident. And as the girls go deeper into the caves, things go from bad to worse. There are creatures living below the surface, and they're out for blood.
This movie reminded me of Night of the Living Dead in many ways. A group of people are trapped in a small area; the claustrophobic atmosphere is palpable. Whereas in Living Dead, the group is trying to keep the monsters outside, in The Descent, the monsters are trapped inside with the group who are trying to find a way out. I also enjoyed the way the movie wrapped up. It's not exactly what I'd call a happy ending, but it felt logical and satisfying.
If you're looking for an intense, scary experience, well-directed and acted, with characters you can actually care about before they start getting killed off, this is the movie for you.
Rating for The Descent: ****1/4
Daughter Says:
The Decent is one scary movie. The last scary movie I saw was The Blair Witch Project and I thought that one was horrifying. I only covered my eyes once in that movie but with The Decent I was tempted to cover them up quite a few times. I'm claustrophobic myself, but watching this movie just increased it. I felt like I was in the cave with the girls.
Not only did I get claustrophobic, but it was getting a little crowded underground. There were some kind of man-eating creatures waiting in the depths for them. And man were they SCARY. Whoever did the make-up on those things were amazing and I give them high praise. The monsters looked so realistic, it wasn't even funny.
I also give high praise to the writer/director (Neil Marshall) for the wonderful scare. I was never expecting freaky creatures to be in the cave. To be honest, I don't know what I expected to be down there. It was like going through a haunted house for the first time. It always gives you a good scare.
For a scary movie I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend this for anyone who likes that kind of thing.
Rating for The Decent: ****.
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