A rarity-a horror film that is actually terror-inducing!

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2006)

If you are tired of renting horror DVD's that ten-year-olds would laugh at, then you are ready for "The Descent". As I watched this truly stomach-churning nightmare unwind, I found the film reminiscent of some of the most repulsive films I have ENJOYED, like "Wrong Turn","Cabin Fever" or Rob Zombie's underrated "House of 1,000 Corpses". I totally relish trying to envision or predict exactly how and when the small groups of people featured in these types of film realize that something is not quite right. That one precipitating event that occurs in a good horror film should always be unique and creative, and the rapid progression from boredom and normalcy to surreal lunacy should occur with savage cruelty but also with the smoothness of a frozen lake in a Minnesota winter. It is in this way that this film is a resounding success, along with an ending that is somewhat open to interpretation. Indeed, if you want to rid the room of bratty preteens who THINK they like horror films, simply screen "The Descent" and count how fast they cower away like cockroaches from sunlight!