A Deep, Dark Decension

Rating: 4/10 (16 August 2006)

Be prepared for an unusually dark adventure when you make up your mind to see this film. It certainly builds to a nice set up. Also, for a feminist such as myself, the total domination of the female is both flattering and felicitous. The director certainly had some great ideas that he executed. I can easily say that I was surprised on most levels at first, because I saw something that was almost above my expectations. It wasn't a perfect film, mind you, but it did well with what it had.
The film follows a group of strong healthy women who meet in a camping trip, or rather a woodsy hang out in the Appalachian Mountains. One of these women, has just reached the end of a terrible year. Sarah, she lost her whole life, consisting of her husband, and her child. She is taking a private decent as it is, since the accident. Now, her friends are trying to serve her with a power weekend. This getaway soon turns disastrous, when the six women Decent into a cave , where circumstances take them into the heart of darkness, which tests their morals, their sanity, and ultimately, their will to survive. Soon, they are battling an army of unknown creatures that kill and eat, whilst screaming loud in the depths of the dark. This is made all the more unbearable by the fact that we hardly see any of it.
The film follows a distant, and pale tone all the way through, and the formula is not so predictable. The opening, however, is terribly rushed, and treated like a secondary plot device. Thusly, we barely have any steadiness or focus clear enough to realize the damage that has been done. Moments later, we are taken to the Appalachians, where the pushy, bossy Juno character is all and ecstatic about this new mountain climbing trip. The characters are certainly defined early on, and it is easily made clear as to which ones are amicable, and which ones aren't. Each one has flaws, and each one has strengths. The dialog, and the general closeness of the women is brought out with close shots and tight angles.
Another plus to the film, is the subject of the Decent. There are three actual Decents that are happening, or rather the characters are taking three simultaneous Decents. They have taken a Decent into the dangerous cave, the Decent into the end of their friendship, and ultimately, the Decent into insanity. As the claustrophobia and anger tenses, the women are forced to realize who is the one to blame, who can help them escape, and who they can trust with their lives. The Juno character has lied to them, trapped them in a cave, and endangered their lives. Many incidents end the film, with a tragic feeling, and a notable sense of prevention, which further flames the tragedy. Now, a minus for the film, is that the horror of the crawlers is never reached until quite late in the story, despite some early signs of impending danger. The focus on the women is long, dull, and heavy handed. Thusly, over half way through the film, do we really find the women in serious danger of death by the mouths of these creatures.
Yes, we were almost given a good film, and why not? The film has left many audiences talking about it, and given some good topics to debate over, but in the long run on things, the film seems to be a cold product of it's times. Like most films today, it either copies other films, or is a rehash or remake. It's a feminist "Deliverance" that takes place in a cave. The same type of set up brought to a more, action packed rate. It doesn't keep up with itself, and the survival instinct is muddied. There seems to be a moral message, but haven't we seen that already? What about the modern symbolism about the human system? It also falls prey to the MTV style camera-work, and tactics that are too familiar in some scenes. Also, the plot developments do not reach the potential to which they are first displayed. Alas, a wonderful example of how potential is only taken so far today, that it crumbles before it can reach the apex of perfection.