Horror done right; original and engrossing

Rating: 9/10 (29 December 2006)

Well versed moviegoers, horror fans especially, nowadays realize that there have been no end to remakes lately. The Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Grudge, et cetera, et cetera. We can look forward to upcoming films like The Hitcher being remade also. The Descent, thank god, is not like any of these.
An awful car accident has left the story's protagonist, Sarah, without a daughter. A year later, she travels with a group of her girlfriends to go spelunking in America as part of an annual exercising vacation. Upon entering a vast cavern, their vacation soon becomes about surviving what they've stepped into.
Revealing anymore would rid the viewer of the jolts and suspense in store. Once the scares begin, it seldom lets up. I commend director Neil Marshall for taking such a basic environment and amping up the fright factor. We've all been scared of the dark at one point, The Descent takes that primordial fear and stretches it into over an hour and a half.
The choice of an all female cast was, in hindsight, fresh and respectable. Too many times have I seen mostly male characters face extreme cinematic conditions. The fact that the actresses are unknowns is further proof to excellent casting. You will worry and fret over misfortune which occurs, I've seldom experienced this in some time. Anyone can die in this film, having a huge star would've simply killed the unpredictability.
A few words of advice; watch the movie with its original ending and avoid the American-released conclusion. Without it, The Descent loses some of its visceral impact, which is a shame.