Product: The Descent (Original Unrated Cut) [Blu-ray] (2006)
Rating: 5.0
One of the Best Horror Movies of the Last 20 Years
The Descent is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again and it never loses its effect. It has great character development and special fx, is extremely suspenseful, and is downright scary for the most part. The acting is great, the storyline believable, and the characters themselves are very smart in that they are really tough women who make smart decisions. Also, if you are chlaustrophobic like me, this movie will really tap a nerve.The Descent is basically about a group of women who are thrill-seekers. They enjoy things like white river rafting and rock climbing, etc. On the way back from a river rafting trip, the main character is in a car accident that kills her husband and baby. Very gory. The film picks up a few years later when that same character is strong enough to join back with her friends for another adventure; this time cave exploration. This is where the character devlopment arc really begins and the movie really takes off.I found this movie to be very similar to the film "From Dusk Til Dawn" in that the first half of the movie is really different from the second half. In From Dusk Til Dawn, the first act is basically a hostage/run from the police/chase movie, while the second half is a vampire survival movie.In The Descent, the first half of the movie is basically about this group of girls getting lost in an underground cave and trying to find a way out. Very suspenceful, keeps you on the edge of your seat and is very realistic. As the movie progresses one almost forgets that the film is really about underground cannabilistic cave dwelling monsters. The first time you see these creatures is one of the scariest moments in a movie I can recall. I've watched this movie with several people, and they all JUMPED during this scene. It really is terrifying as is the majority of the movie.Once this happens, the girls realize they are surrounded by these creatures and all hell breaks loose. The rest of the film is basically about the girls fighting for their lives, with some twists thrown in. This film concludes with a great ending. I recommend The Descent with the highest praise possible. This is a must see! One of the greatest horror movies I've seen. (And I've seen a TON)