The Descent: (or why I'll never go into a cave ever again!)

Today's film audiences have acquired a sort of "seen it all, heard of it all" attitude toward movies and this is especially true in the horror genre. Think about the number of Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween movies you yourself have watched. Now think about how pedestrian the scares and chills have become as each successive sequel has come out. You might start to wonder if there are any films out there that can actually scare you? I think this one might do the trick.

A year after a tragic event, six friends decide to go caving. However after they become trapped in those caves, their friendships are tested as they must struggle to find a way out and also face a horrifying terror that unknowingly stalks them.

Writer/director Neil Marshall was able to turn what could have been a cheesy and predictable horror flick into an absolutely terrifying white knuckle experience that had the audience pinned to their seats until the final credits rolled. He was able to do this by first creating a group of characters that the audience could identify with and feel for. It’s true that the group of friends was comprised of all women, but they were far from damsels in distress. Each had their own uniqueness and held their own against not only the natural elements, but the evil creatures they encountered. Marshall, paying homage to Ridley Scott’s Alien (an obvious influence on the film), only gave the audience noises and quick glimpses of those creatures in the early parts of the movies, building the tension to an overwhelming degree until they finally appeared and scared the bejesus out of everyone (cast and audience). The audience was so unnerved and on edge throughout due to not only the lack of light in the caves, but their cramped nature as well (claustrophobics need not apply for this one). The Descent will make you sweat, laugh, cringe, scream and everything else a good horror film should.

Grade: A