Plot: After their last trip ended in tragedy, a group of young women gets together again to pick up where they left off. They plan a little trek through some caves, but disaster is about to strike again. After part of the structure caves in, they are trapped inside the mountain. And as it turns out, they are not alone down there.
Watches
January 11, 2024
One of those films you need to see in pitch black darkness. It's been a while since I last watched The Descent, and while it stood the test of time pretty well, it has lost some of its shine since its original release. The second half in particular isn't quite as tight as it needed to be. Back then that was a bit easier to forgive, as it stood at the very start of a horror renaissance. Nowadays, it makes the difference between a bona fide genre masterwork and mere prime genre filler.
The setup is moody and uneasy, the first half of the film does a great job of building up the tension. The reveal of the monsters is also great, but then things start to crumble a bit. Too much monster exposure takes away from the dread and some of the scenes are a little silly when you're not 100% invested in the escape. Still, there are some moments of greatness here, and it remains a tense and claustrophobic horror flick. A rightful horror classic, just not a personal favorite anymore.
November 06, 2005
[review pending]