The Descent

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The Descent follows a group of women on a cave dive, when they are trapped and begin falling prey to the vicious creatures that dwell there. Director Neill Marshall really should be commended for this film. The performances felt real. It helps that none of the actors are big stars (otherwise it probably would have been distracting). It really felt like every choice that these characters made had some sort of consequence. The violence was brutal, and it works in the film. The cave gives you a sense of claustrophobia. I actually think the fact that the pacing is something of a slow burn works in this movie's favor. It makes things more and more tense as the troubles seem to escalate. I actually kind of appreciate that there isn't a huge amount of character development. Don't get me wrong, it is there. I honestly feel like it was just enough for you to care for these women. Arguably, the one with the most development is Sarah (played by Shauna MacDonald). She had lost her husband and daughter in a car crash a year previously to the film's main events. You actually see how the trauma affects her. Something I honestly kind of like is the attention to detail in terms of the film's colors. I can't exactly say that it was completely necessary, but I actually liked the look of it all. The best were the moments where the film was completely colored red. I can't exactly say why, but I honestly found myself drawn into this particular imagery. The one thing I can say I didn't particularly care for was some of the moments where the women tried fighting off the creatures attacking them. It honestly looked shaky, and could be hard to follow. I don't if this was the purpose, but it wasn't something that worked for me. However, The Descent is still a strong addition to the horror genre, and is mostly effective in what it sets out to try and accomplish, a violent, grisly, tense creature feature This is a genuine must for all horror fans.

9 / 10