The Descent - A Movie Review

Did you see that? I swear I just saw something in the cave.

The Descent found its way into theaters in 2005. Away for a girl’s weekend, six women go on a caving expedition. What was meant to be an unforgettable adventure turns into a nightmare. Trapped in the tight spaces of the cave, the explorers realize they are not alone.

Watching The Descent made me feel claustrophobic. The Descent is a horrifying film that explored both the nightmares of being lost in a cave and terrifying inhuman creatures. My eyes remained locked to the screen the entire time. The Descent is all about bravery.

The ensemble of The Descent consisted of impeccable performances delivered by six talented women. Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, MyAnna Buring, and Nora-Jane Noone were excellent in their interactions. They depicted a contrast between fun and joking around, to being tested.

Shauna Macdonald was the highlight, I have never seen an actor recognize fright and utter hysteria like she did. She even made me feel the panic of the situation. Going through a horribly tragic event, Sarah learns to take one step at a time.

One other special mention goes to Natalie Mendez. I had mixed feelings for Juno’s decisions along with how she did not think to bring a vital necessity on a trip like this. Then again, a harrowing situation like this puts everyone to the test.

I was surprised to learn that this entire film was shot on a sound stage. The caves look so real! Sets were changed or shot at a different angle to convey new locations. Now I don’t ever want to explore a cave after watching this film. The actresses did a great job in the difficulty of maneuvering through the sheer edges and darkness of the cave.

The first time the actresses saw one of the creatures - they ran screaming offset. Actors who played the crawlers had a fun time with their roles. Crawlers were all played by professional actors. This was a good idea as I felt a distinction between each of their characters.

As scary as they looked, the appearance of the crawlers reminded me too much of a significant monster from Pan’s Labyrinth. They are unnerving.

I screamed the first time we saw the terrifying cave creatures. The film does an amazing job with the jump scares. Nothing ruins the genuinely creepy atmosphere of the cave. It plays as a character of its own.

Cinematography also capturing stunning, and yet foreboding images of land. Same with the music. This cave looks so scary even before entering it.

Neil Marshall directed a gripping, suspenseful, and scary film. He made a smart decision not to film in a real cave as it would have been too disorientating. All in all, he worked hard with all the actors. This film is believable. He looked out for everyone while at the same time, upping the fore factor to its max. There’s no getting around the monsters no matter what.

Hear me out, The Descent is bloody. It is gory. It is disturbing. Just to make sure that audiences feel the utter chaos, the camera spins in disorienting angles. The jump scares startled me. It was nice to see actual jump scares again. Avoid this film because it will make you feel claustrophobia.

I am so glad that I watched The Descent. It was an insane ride through the endless nightmares. Take caution as The Descent is one gory and frightening film. If you have not seen it, I recommend that you watch it this October season.