Who Knew Two Hours in a Cave Would Be So Good?

The Descent is one of those rare films that fits snugly into a standard genre but somehow manages to transcend it as well. A brief description of the film would send most people running. “A group of girls are attacked by cannibals inside a cave.” This doesn’t really make most film fans mouths water. However, when it is written and directed by the very talented Neil Marshall, has great performances, a sharp screenplay full of interesting characters and situations, a solid visual style that doesn’t draw attention to itself, and enough gore to keep the teenage boy in me happy, then you have the makings of a great film.Marshall has a sense of mood and motion that permeates the film from the opening shot on. Tension slowly builds as the story unfolds. There was no sense of “God… I can’t wait for the cannibals to come so the action can start.” The characters are developed quickly and the back-story is laid out without any fuss. Plot points are revealed slowly, only adding to the tension.

A lot of what happens is cliche. Standard horror movie fare. But this film brings much more to the table then what it lets on. I can see why they chose to release this film in America. It did very well in its British theatrical run, and that also goes to show that it transcends its fright flick roots.

It opens during a rafting trip. Our three main characters, all female, are finishing up one of their little outdoor adventures. That sets the pacing to a slow burn. (Are they screaming in fear or laughing?). Again, not much to talk about but when you see it, you will understand. Soon after, an accident destroys the life of one of the girls, and a year later, after the dust has settled (has it really?), the girls get back together to do some caving. This time, there are a few more, and after some wonderfully terse character development, they make it down into the cave.

The pacing, story, and aesthetic of this film is so wonderful at times that I almost forgot there were supposed to be creatures in the cave. Usually in a film like this the audience is waiting waiting waiting for the violence or gore to start. This time however, everything before hand was just so good that it didn’t matter. However, when the creatures do come, the action and twists keep coming and surprisingly, the film stays solid.

What follows is some (might I say validated?) violence and gore. There was a good amount and it was full of inventiveness. Definately, a strong payoff for the horror movie fan. It fits seamlessly into the story and is not just there for its own sake. Also at this point is a great little plot twist that ties all the previous back story together and leads to a surprising and satisfying ending…. at least in British theatres.

Why oh why do we do thinks like this? In the American release, the last minute of the ending was cut off in order to make it… um… shorter? happier? more confusing? ready for a sequel? Who knows. Do yourself a favor and watch the original ending. It will make much more sense and bring the film to a more satisfying close.

If you have a cool DVD player, you can buy the Region 2 British DVD. While you are waiting for it to arrive, do yourself a favor and catch it in a darkened theatre. The Descent is a must for horror-movie fans. It has already started to gather a justly deserved cult following amongst them. But what’s even better is that it is more than just a cool horror film. It is a well-made film that any cinephile in general can appreciate. Neil Marshall hasn’t made a film since Dog Solders in 2002. After that garnered much acclaim (rightly so), he didn’t churn out a quick film like some people would have done. He spent 3 years working on his next project, and it really shows. The Descent is a wonderful entry into the film world, and it really sheds some light on the talent of Neil Marshal. He is going to be a director that we all should keep our eyes on.

LCD’s Response -

Are you quite finished going down on Neil Marshall yet? Thank you, you might want to take a second to wipe your face off though. Actually, It’s funny how little in your review I really disagree with. Well, except all the parts where you say things are “wonderful” or “inventive” or “satisfying”. In particular, I agree with you when you say that everything before the creatures showing up is so good you’re not just waiting for the gore to start. Again, except for the “good” part.

And that’s the whole problem with this movie. Before the creatures show up there’s some real stuff going on. Lots of tension, lots of cool character development, just lots of coolness. Then the creatures show up and instead of taking everything up a notch, everything deflates. Any coolness that was created is shattered by the introduction of these horribly unspectacular (not to mention completely unbelievable, as I’ve pointed out in my review) creatures. It turns into a very average, very mundane run-of-the-mill horror movie. It turns into stupid chicks doing stupid things while being chased and eaten by baddies. It’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre in a cave. It’s The Blair Witch Project in a cave. It’s Scream in a cave. It’s Friday the 13th in a cave. If this movie didn’t take place inside a cave, there wouldn’t be a single original thing about it. Go ahead. Name something original outside of that. I’ll be the guy on the other side of the page waiting to say I told you so.