Movie Review - The Descent

The Descent (5 of 5): It is my great pleasure to give this movie such a high rating because it is uncommon for me to really get into the horror genre. Most horror movies just don't scare me, so when I find one that does, it is a a real treat.

The Descent is a film about six women who like to go on outdoor/extreme trips (think: Mountain Dew commercials with women) This time they are going on a caving trip. Supposedly he trip is going to be a nice easy trek at a cave for novices. However, after an accident, some startling revelations, and the discovery of a population of subterranean human-like monsters, the trip goes sour. As expected, one by one the girls get picked off, but not after a good fight. Refreshingly, these women know how to defend themselves and they aren't afraid to fight for their lives. One or two stand out and make it to the end, but I won't give away more than that.

This is a terrific movie. The suspense is allowed to build and the cave monsters never feel like the main push of the film - they aren't even introduced until well into the movie. Instead the tension is allowed to build, first with the darkness that fills the caves, then with the tight claustrophobic spaces the women crawl through, and finally with the introduction and fight for survival against the monsters. The pace works perfectly to really get the audience wrapped up. And you'll stay engaged too! Thankfully, the are few, if any, of those classic horror movie moments when the characters make stupid, irrational decisions that leave you wondering "WTF?".

Check this movie out and make sure you watch it in complete darkness with surround sound. It is a great survival horror flick that I guarantee will have you thinking twice about ever going in a cave.