The Descent (Original Unrated Cut)

5 Stars = MasterpieceFew horror movies, if any, in the last ten years match the intensity, suspense, dread, action, acting, direction, character study, & just the up in your face horror of "The Descent!"A group of women descend in to a cave that is supposed to be already explored, at least that is what they all think, except Juno, who has actually taken them to a uncharted cave system. Juno wants them to be the first to explore it. So our story starts, after a prologue of Sarah, Juno's best friend (or should I say, biggest guilt?) loses her husband & daughter in a car wreck, & the group of friends meeting each other after a long absence, at a cabin in the woods.If you're claustrophobic, then don't watch this film, as the women crawl, climb, & dig their way in to the cave. In a terrifying scene, Sarah gets stuck in a small passage way. Her friend Beth, crawls back to talk her out of panicking, so she can get Sarah out. As this starts to work & Sarah squirms her way out, the passage starts to collapse on top of her, as Beth urges her to move fast! Hence the cave now becomes a huge looming cavernous maw that swallows them whole, & closes it's mouth. The women are stuck in a giant cave complex, filled with passages, spreading out like veins in a hand, with no idea if there is another way out. A true horror, that is completely plausible!As the women search for a way out, with many a suspenseful scene, the cave becomes more & more ominous. They find ancient drawings from cave dwellers that suggest another entrance (exit) of the cave. It is here that all hell breaks loose, as their stalked by mutant cave dwellers for food, one by one.Not since "Aliens" has there been such intense action in a horror film, as the women punch, kick, bludgeon, & stab their way through thrilling scene after scene of survival carnage with the mutants. This is literally savage, & is filmed, acted, & choreographed in such a way that it sucks you in like a giant vortex, right into the action! The mutants make up is totally credible & genuinely scary, especially the female mutant. They look like a cross of humans with bat like features on their head & faces, true subterranean looking creatures, right out of a nightmare!To say much more about the story, would be giving to much away. I will say this, the film is a experience! An experience in terrifying claustrophobic horror. One has a hard time figuring out which is more terrifying, the cave & it's hopelessness, or the mutants? Both are a potent combination, & if it were not for the terrific cinematography, make up, ensemble acting, direction, setting, & editing, this film could've of been just another forgettable horror film. Thanks to director Neil Marshall, it's not! For he has created a true masterpiece of the genre, & though there have been similar films, at least in theme of cave creatures, this film stands as a true original masterpiece!The Blu-ray looks & sounds fantastic, if you don't have it, it's time to upgrade!Essential viewing for the horror lover!

When I first watched the movie, I had the lights turned off and listened through the headphones. I didn't think much after I picked it up for a dollar at the thrift store. After watching it, it was fantastic. Few characters, in a cave, crawling with ancient humans who feed on human flesh. The women end up fighting for their lives, one by one, being killed by beings, who crawl on the walls, ceilings, while they realize the deeper they go, their doom is near.The film has a lot of jump scares. Original story. Most horror films are usually in a house, building, streets, camp, etc.The actors are mostly unknown. I didn't know who there were until after watching the movie.The picture was mostly filmed in a movie studio. I read the production team feared of injuries in a real cave and that it would be very time-consuming to film and movie around in tight areas.The film was written and directed by Neil Marshall. He had nothing to do with the abysmal sequel. He was just the executing producer. The sequel was terrible. Just watch the original.In the USA, the theater version edited out the dark ending. The DVD and Blu-ray, keeps the original ending intact. There are plenty of extras with interviews, deleted scenes, trailers, making off etc.This is still a Great British horror movie to watch.

Such an amazing film which rightfully is considered one of the best horror movies of all time. So many moments in the film were beautifully filmed to match a true horror atmosphere with no jump scare music thankfully. The characters were all pretty likable and the actresses portraying them did fantastic. I wish there would've been more exposition in the beginning but I still found myself rooting and feeling attachment to the woman. Picture wise, I'm a bit disappointed with the quality as theres a lack of color in some shots but appears better in others as well as a lot of noise/artifacts on the screen. This, coupled with the weird CGI, wasn't too distracting and kinda adds a little charm to the movie. It's still disappointing that it came out this century but many older blu ray films have better transfers. Regardless, if you like suspenseful horror with no jumpscares/loud music during it then you'd love this classic!