Smart Horror

Rating: 7/10 (15 August 2006)

The Descent features a team of British spelunkers exploring a cave system in the Appalachian region of the United States. As you can imagine, the deeper they delve, the more harrowing their situation becomes.
The Descent, unlike most horror movies, features characters that are for the most believable. And, more importantly, they behave in a somewhat rational manner. There's no bimbos checking out "mystery sounds", all alone, clad only in bikinis. It's tough chicks in for the fight of their lives.
The movie does an admirable job of conveying a sense of claustrophobia and urgency in the beginning. To be honest, I thought the lead-up to the "introduction" of the creatures was quite a bit creepier than the creatures themselves. As a matter of fact, once the creatures make their presence known, the movie does tend to devolve into more traditional slasher fare.
But, in the end, it's a decent horror movie with some downright chilling moments. Definitely worth checking out.
7/10