Unexpected...

Rating: 9/10 (31 May 2007)

I was amazingly surprised by this film.
When I was shown the DVD cover, and forced myself to remember what trailers I might of seen: I sighed a very dubious sigh. I saw in it, a very predictable, unoriginal film...Full of clichés.
A few hours later, I was a converted.
Despite a slightly predictable plot (Although one real unexpected event), this film does what it does, very well!
From the start the idea of having an almost entirely female cast, eliminates a lot of the "token" characters expected in a typical horror.
Although, yeah, there's the whole question of "why go down the caves in the first place?"... You forgive them for it.
Best thing about this film: The set and the lighting. The whole film has such a claustrophobic feel, thanks to very smart use of light. The only light you see is what the characters see themselves with their torch light. This instantly gives an unbelievable unnerving feel. That there always something right there, that can't be seen...
This is a very tense film...
When the group gets split up, its again lighting (quite subtle) that helps distinguish between the two parties.
The smartest single bit of the film (That made every last one of my friends scream), is the night vision scene, when they first encounter the "Creatures"...Fucking terrifying...I'll say no more.
The creatures themselves, are an open question. Relationships between the characters are not clear. The final outcome is even not really known... But this is not a stupid film...
Marhshal plays with many horror conventions, he obviously knows his stuff, and seems to trick you every time...
Grab your Blockbusters card and go rent it now! It's unexpected.