Perfect horror

Rating: 9/10 (23 May 2010)

The Descent is a perfect horror flick for anyone who is a fan of well made movies.
The basic story line is that a group of women enter a cave and get stuck there and soon they find out they are not alone.
The story isn't that magical, but it's still like a breath of fresh air. for one, the group is all women and as a woman, I respect that. and for two the suspense in the movie and the finale is just great. Neil Marshall builds the tension with simple and small choices, like deciding to place the women in the dark, literally. The amount of light in the shots is very little and it really sets the mood for the film.
The acting is pretty basic, there's no great roles or characters in the film, but that's not the point. The point is the fight for their survival and the monsters that hide in the darkness. The women are scared but they fight like hell and that's good, because you would too.
Of course, it's not all about the monsters, which are kind of awesome, but it's also about the dynamics between the women. there's some tension from the beginning, since one of the women has had an affair with the main character's late husband. and when the situation get ugly, so do the characters. the change in them is great. you have the girl who doesn't care about safety and rushes into things and gets killed for that. Then you have the little sister, the sweet blond girl, who turns out to be a kick ass girl! and the ending? it's great. it really leaves you to think, if you want to. you can accept the ending as it is or you can start to question all that's happened. how much of it all was all in Sarah's head? are the monsters real or are they just Sarah's own demons? Neil Marshall has really created a horror masterpiece. I first saw this film when it was released and thought it was okay, a lot scarier than Saw but nothing special. and then I watched it again a year ago and was blown away. The Descent is a great film, but it might demand an eye for some technical stuff in film. but anyway, this is the best horror film I have seen.