Brutal horror classic!

Rating: 8/10 (14 March 2006)

Neil Marshall gained his entry to horror hall of fame and a cult-like following after only one film, his hugely acclaimed werewolf masterpiece "Dog Soldiers". Now, and to prove that he is not a one hit wonder, he returns to the genre with this powerful movie that takes the horror back to its roots and keeps the tension to the max. Just like his previous movie, "The Descent" seems to be destined to become a horror classic; and along with Aja's "Haute Tension" and Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects", prove that the horror genre is alive and kicking.
The plot tells the story of Sarah (Shauna Macdonald), a extreme sports enthusiast who, a year after the traumatic event that killed his husband and daughter, decides to make a new excursion not only to prove herself, but also to reunite with her friends. Juno (Natalie Jackson Mendoza), the expert adventurer of the team, leads the group but their previous experience won't prepare them to what they will find inside the cave.
"The Descent" is, at its core, a tale of survival horror, but it also explores psychological horror, as Sarah's mental state is balancing between sanity and madness. That and the claustrophobic feeling of isolation inside the cave really sets the perfect mood in the film. The movie takes its time to explode, slowly developing the relations between the characters before and during the trip.
While the story is very simple and at times predictable, it is the execution of the film what shows its true brilliance. The awesome use of lights and shadows to create tension and to distinguish between characters is superb, and the music follows the actions in the film with perfect tone. The dark atmosphere and the feeling of claustrophobia enhances the suspense and the film's rhythm during the last third of the film feels just like a roller-coaster. It is truly, a descent to madness.
The characters are very well defined and it is a nice change of pace to see a cast of young adult women instead of the typical teens that seem to infest modern horror movies these days. The acting is very good, and Shauna Macdonald makes a great lead character. The rest of the cast was also very good, and all seemed very believable in their roles, specially Alex Reid and Saskia Mulder.
If a flaw is to be found in the movie, it would be probably the fact that the story is quite simple and a bit predictable. Unlike "Dog Soldiers", this one is a more straightforward survival horror movie; however, Marsdhall's perfect direction and the great performance of those involved truly makes the difference between a typical horror movie and a soon-to-be classic.
"The Descent" may be a proof that even the simplest story can make a terrific movie if the proper care is taken. Neil Marshall excels in this film and confirms what everybody thought after "Dog Soldier", that this British young man is a name to look after in the future. 8/10