Pretty scary.... if your are afraid of modern dancers

Rating: 6/10 (14 November 2005)

Billed as the 'best British horror film since 28 days later' I was looking forward to The Descent, not only because I'm a horror fan, but I had enjoyed Neil Marshall's previous (and altogether more fun) film: Dog Soldiers. However I can only admit to enjoying half the movie, for reasons that will become soon apparent.
Several female friends go on a thrill-seeking caving adventure somewhere in America (or Canada, going by the car's number plates); one of whom is trying to forget a terrible accident that killed her husband and daughter just after the group's last trip. Shortly into the expedition a tunnel behind them collapses, not only trapping them far underground but in a series of caves that have never been mapped (ruling out any chance of rescue).
Up to this point the film works almost perfectly. The characters (though falling into roles lifted from a dozen other movies) are all played with skill and charisma, giving greater credence to their choices and emotional deterioration later in the film.
The caves themselves are even better; from their tight spaces to open, Gothic chambers, the excellent cinematography unsettles without being too obvious. When the friends discover they have been led to their doom, you completely sympathise with their hopelessness and utter despair.
The main problem with 'The Descent' is that it could have worked perfectly exploiting this set up to the fullest, without resorting to the 'Cave Vampires' that stalk the friends in the second half of the film. The scariest scene comes when one of the characters traps her foot while crawling through a tight tunnel. This is before they are even lost, but her slow but steady descent into utter panic is both believable and terrifying, using nothing but her perfectly judged performance. Contrast this with the later scenes which sadly fall into the well trampled pastures of 'Spam in a Can' features, whose greatest desire is to be labelled as "its 'Aliens'... in a CAVE!" Now, I have no problem with those sort of flicks, it's just that the later half of the film fails to deliver anything as tense as the earlier scenes, preferring to stick a creature into the lens and shout 'boo!' And the creatures... this is where the film is most embarrassing. I'll admit I'm a stickler for monsters in movies, but the way I see it if THAT is meant to be the scary aspect it better be pretty damn scary, right? Unfortunately I found the creatures to be almost comical, moving like a modern dance troupe rather than flesh-hungry monsters. The creature make up also fails to impress or frighten.
Do not allow your expectations to be raised too high by the first half, and no doubt you will enjoy The Descent. I however can only wish Neil Marshall had the confidence or willingness to leave out the schlock tactics to make something scarier, better and more unique.
6 out of 10