'The Descent' (2005) Review

 

For my ninth film I reviewed a British horror film from 2005 titled ‘The Descent’. I had seen this film 3 years ago and wrote it off as something that has been done many times before. I couldn't have been further from the truth, realizing that this movie was actually the blueprint that many newer films follow. ‘The Descent’ gained inspiration from some of my favorite films like John Carpenter's ‘The Thing’, and Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’. While the surface level of this film has some cliches (such as the very poor decisions made by the characters), I enjoyed doing some research and rewatching this one.

    This story focuses on a woman named Sarah nearly a year after a fatal loss of her husband and daughter. Sarah decides to spend a weekend in the woods exploring caves with her girl friends trying to relive her happy days prior to the incident. Once they descend into the ground, they shortly become trapped in a claustrophobic nightmare. Subplots of betrayal, friendship and grief take ‘The Descent’  to another level making it better than your average horror film. This movie was an anxiety-inducing trip the whole way through and made me realize that cliff exploring is not something I’d want to add to my bucket list. Something I found done extremely well in this film was the pacing. Just when you think things can't get any worse for the group of friends- they do. This is where you can see the influence that came from ‘The Shining’ with gradual madness and tension that sinks into the characters throughout the runtime. I don’t think I appreciated that the first time around because I was expecting different pacing with more upbeat tones.

As for the characters, they are something rarely seen in the horror genre, which are realistic, non exploited female portrayals. This female dominated cast was relatable or similar to someone you know in your everyday life. The standout here was Shauna Macdonald as the protagonist Sarah Carter. For a quick character analysis, a certain line in the film before all hell broke loose is what made her character so interesting to me. When Sarah gets caught in a rock underground her friend trying to calm her down yells, “The worst thing that could have happened to you has already happened...there’s nothing left to be afraid of”. Oof, very far from the truth but a character defining quote that felt perfect for her arch. Sarah's worst nightmare had already happened when she lost her family. This plot point gives her an advantage over her friends because no matter what happens, she would still have the same trauma to face if she were to make it out alive. This heartbreaking realization for the audience hits hard and elevates the character. It also triggers Sarah's survival skills in a shocking last 20 minutes of the film. 

I understand why this film has a cult following after my rewatch. If you enjoy films like ‘127 Hours’, ‘The Evil Dead’ or ‘The Blair Witch Project’, I would recommend this film. I give this a solid 4 out of 5 because of its interesting characters and new fears it raised in me. Also, if you watch and don’t enjoy the ending, try watching on a different platform. The director shot multiple different endings that are distributed depending on where you view the film.