Product: The Descent (Original Unrated Cut) [Blu-ray] (2006)
Rating: 2.0
Entertaining...in a nonsensical sort of way
I liked this movie when I look at it as mindless entertainment. But all the reviews that this is new and groundbreaking are ridiculous. This movie is full of cliches from American horror that were predictable 10 yrs before "the Descent" was made. For one thing, echolocation isn't something that only works when something moves or makes noise. A creature with echolocation is able to spot prey even when it is inert and silent. Another thing: so the creature can kill moose and wolves? But 95 lb Asian and British women armed with nothing but a pickaxe and a collar bone can take down a dozen without so much as a scratch? And get this: these women can kill these creatures even after her throat's been slashed.The characterization is nonexistent in this movie. These women go from frail Englishwomen to full-blown Green Beret Rambos? Director Neil Marshall has obviously been influenced by Rambo: the cave scene reminds me of First Blood's cave scene. The scene where the wolves fight the soldier's in the forest in "Dog Soldiers" is reminiscent of Rambo's forest scene against the cops. But using the Rambo influence is implausible here. These women have never fought these gollums before, let alone knew these things existed, yet they are able to defend themselves skillfully against a swarm of them? Right.If you watch this movie for entertainment purposes, it's good. But don't listen to the whole "it's new and innovative" talk from some positive reviewers. Virtually everything non-Hollywood is considered innovative. It's part of the whole "bash Hollywood/praise non-Hollywood" scene that's popular these days. To act as if the Descent isn't swamped in Hollywood horror cliches is ridiculous. Lionsgate helped promote this flick. People wanna bash the so-called "American ending". That's what helped the hype. This film gained notoriety based on the "American ending" controversy. This is true because all of Neill Marshall's other movies (except Doomsday...bleh) aren't nearly as popular as "the Descent". So shouldn't Marshall be grateful the controversy hyped his movie? It's not as if the ending was a big deal. So she smiles at the end. Big deal. Neither endings did nothing to the poor (or lack of) plot and characterizations. Who cares?Like I said: entertaining as far as regular nonsensical horror goes? Yes. Groundbreaking and innovative? No.