Product: The Descent (Original Unrated Cut) [Blu-ray] (2006)
Rating: 3.0
Don't believe everything you read about this movie
While this film was suspenseful and entertaining, it could have done with a little less gore and a little more backstory. You never get to know the six women very well or understand why they became friends. The subplot where Juno clearly had an affair with Sara's husband before the "tragic incident" is never fully explored and could have lent much more tension and depth to the story if it had been.As to what's actually in the cave, that, too, could have been revealed to better advantage and made the film more suspenseful. Truth to tell, the way it was handled, it turned out not to be all that scary. There are a few gotchas, but most were predictable.Many critics have touted the fact that we're dealing with six strong women here, no wimps and no screaming mimi's. While this is true and makes for a refreshing change from the usual horror heroine, it's sad to note that the only way that the writer of this film could write strong women is by having them act like men. I swear one of the scenes had women swilling beer and razzing each other (bonding like men), and all I could think was, "Miller Time." Come on, guys, I KNOW you can do better than that! Some of you need to take a lesson from Joss Whedon.The writing of the ending seemed a little lazy to me, ambiguous in a way that said not so much, "Now you have to figure out what this means," as much as it said, "It'll look pretty deep if I leave the ending ambiguous. Plus, then I don't really have to figure out what would be an ending that's true to the rather flimsy characters and exciting situation I've set up."Still, it was an entertaining ride. One of the film's great strengths is getting the clastrophobic feel of the cave just right. There were moments when I had to reassure myself that the walls weren't closing in as I watched it.Otherwise, don't believe all of the raves you hear about this film. It's a thrill ride, but it ultimately didn't take me anyplace I hadn't been before, and it was pretty frustrating to see an interesting premise ultimately fall flat because of poor writing.