The scariest film in recent cinema

Rating: 9/10 (2 September 2007)

I rarely get the treat of viewing British cinema so I was quite pleased when I was able to stumble upon the British horror film The Descent. The story follows that of six woman from the United Kingdom who love to do wild things. Not wild things in the terms of erotic films but in the terms of being daredevils so to say. After a freak accident claims the life of a woman named Sarah's young daughter and husband, the six friends travel to the United State to bond while they go spelunking (cave diving). What happens in the caves becomes a living nightmare as they become trapped inside with strange creatures out to kill them.
At first when I read that the film was nearly an all female cast I had my doubts. The only time you ever see all female casts in the States is when a romantic comedy is the basis for the plot. However, one must remember, this is British made and are more adapt at acting then most anorexic, beauty queen wannabe's that act in the US. I liked the all female cast, they all did a great job and looked like they actually knew what they were doing while spelunking which added to the realism. All the girls are relatively unknowns outside of the UK but it doesn't matter, films don't have to have big stars in order to be great films.
The horror is top-notch even before the Crawlers (monsters) show up. You feel a strong sense of claustrophobia and foreboding while the woman crawl through narrow tunnels in the pitch. Honestly, I was freaked out even before the monsters began wrecking havoc. Once the monsters do arrive you are really in for a treat. They are easily the most believable, scariest looking things I have seen in a horror film since the original Alien. Needless to say you will be scared out of your mind by the end of this and will be thinking about it even more when you turn off the lights to go to be that night. (recommendation: watch at night in the pitch black, it's even scarier)
What makes all horror films is atmosphere. A strong sense of innocence and amusement must be present early on then that innocence must be smashed in bloody fashion. The film throws you right inside the caves with the six women and makes you feel just as claustrophobic and scared as they are. That is why The Descent works so well, it makes you feel as if you are there and as if you are going to be the next attacked. This is what so many horror films fail to do, there is a bunch of flash but no show, for the Descent there is not a lot of flash but a ton of show. This is why it is one of the best horror films since Alien.
4.5/5 Stars