The Descent pulls you down into a dark nightmare and doesn't let you come up for air until the end-credits roll.

Rating: 8/10 (25 February 2007)

Once the six women rappel down into a completely isolated, totally unexplored network of dark caves deep the in the Appalachian mountains, their fates are sealed. I was not a huge fan of Neil Marshall's first film, Dog Soldiers (then again, I saw it on the Sci-Fi Channel, very cut down), so when I heard so many good things about The Descent, I was leery. I was afraid it was another Blair Witch Project. Or 28 Days Later. (Both over-hyped disappointments, in my opinion.) Having seen The Descent (and having to take two ibuprofens afterward to soothe my tensed muscles), I tremblingly tip my miner's hat to Marshall. Not much affects this lifelong horror fan, but The Descent is by far the most frightening film I have seen in years. (Note to other chiller fans: You'll get some extra tidbity treats in the form of homages to scary movies of yore, such as Carrie and Aliens.) It's deep  in more ways than one; The Descent is very smartly written flick. Ever since The Descent was released in England last year, the buzz has been deafening and the bootleg DVDs have been burning - But do see it on the big screen; it's more effective in a large setting as the screams, snapping bones, and freely flowing blood come fast and furious. For once, the movie is worthy of the hype: The Descent pulls you down into a dark nightmare and doesn't let you come up for air until the end-credits roll.