Product: The Descent (Original Unrated Cut) [Blu-ray] (2006)
Rating: 4.0
A THRILLING, MUST-SEE FILM (for those who know how to appreciate it)
I've noticed several people who offered poor reviews on this film, and really gave little indication as to why. I can only imagine that they did not see what I saw when I watched "The Descent" for the first time. For everyone else who hasn't seen this film yet, I would like to contribute three suggestions to ensure a more enjoyable viewing experience.Suggestion one, if you have a short attention span, don't watch this movie! Go watch Saw, or some other fast-paced hack & slash that won't make you have to think much or feel for the characters. This movie's strength lies in strong character development, and gradual progression of suspense that takes up a good half of the film.Suggestion two, watch this movie ALONE... no friends or buddies you can pretend to be cool around by calling something lame, cheesy, or predictable. Yes, this movie has some cliche moments, but you should hardly be able to notice it if you are as fully immersed in the macabre and tense atmosphere of these dreaded caves as I was.Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, use your imagination. Of course, with certain very graphic scenes, you will need to leave little to the imagination, but particularly in the first half of the movie where not much in the way of action really happens, the viewing experience hinges on YOU, the viewer. Try to really immerse yourself into the state of mind of the characters and see yourself in their world, not as some distant, impervious third party. Let down your guard a bit, and you will be surprised at what you may find. The effectiveness of this movie relies on its believability, and as you descend into this forbidding cave with these girls as your only companions, and you somehow do not feel, at least in part, their edginess, claustrophobia, despair, and pain, you will never truly appreciate their experience. Try to place yourself in the darkness, faced with having to crawl through a space barely wider than the span of your shoulders, hardly able to breath or move, and fully aware that the thousands of tons of rock above you may collapse at any moment... all this aside from the hungry, gut-ripping monsters that come onto the scene later! This is the state of mind you will need in order to truly appreciate what this movie has in store. Enjoy!!