The Descent

A genre delicacy that makes the most of its setting in a claustrophobic cave environment. Like they say, less is sometimes more, so in this case I wouldn't be afraid of an infantile paraphrase where less is definitely more. At the same time, one can't help but notice how originally very sweet girls gradually become freak killing machines. It's a film that doesn't lose focus and never really lets you breathe. Totally awesome. [90%] (10/04/2021)

The simple premise incorporated into a meandering screenplay was used quite flexibly by director Neil Marshall to his advantage. Today, creating a well-blended mix of latex creatures, atmospheric emotions, and captivating soundscapes is almost impossible. What initially appears as a hopeless survival for the group of heroines brings something in the second half that perfectly glues you to your seat. I have no objections to the director's creativity until the end, which not only begins to rely on an overly "polished" plot but also pushes the lack of credibility of the characters to an unbearable extent. Indeed, the position in which the heroines are introduced at the beginning certainly does not correspond to the ending, where one of them stands majestically astride one of their "prey." Because of that, and also due to the contrived psychology, which is more detrimental and creates an unsightly mess among the relationships of the characters, I will refrain from giving it the highest rating. And I'm supposed to climb a mountain after this? (17/10/2005)

The characters and the conflicts between them are not great, but the horror storyline is excellent. Neil Marshall moves skillfully in the limited setting, conjuring from it a dense atmosphere of isolation and opening a new door every ten minutes. The scares are perfect, the “bad guys” are terrifying and repulsive, and the quick-motion filming is impressive. And the final action posturing is less awkward than you would expect. Plus a few nice nods to horror connoisseurs (music from The Thing, eye gouging from The Evil Dead...). The Descent is an above-average genre flick conjured up from an average screenplay and a big step forward for the director after Dog Soldiers. (12/02/2006)

The unexplored cave setting works in terms of atmosphere and horror, and some of the climactic passages, such as the climb over the abyss, the first brief glimpses of the monsters or the lair scene, are truly unsettling and frightening. In addition, the women are fine and the bad guys are incredibly good, from the hideous exteriors to the very effective and impressive quick-motion that elevates the few scares to the A-list horror league. Unfortunately, just as the film does a great job in the process of generating an atmosphere of fear and gives you the creeps with its initial hints of the lurking horror, the pure action track it switches to in the final act feels very bland and, despite the overwhelming momentum and a decent amount of brutality, has nothing to surprise a slightly more jaded viewer. However, I appreciate the few imaginative references to its famous predecessors, the refined claustrophobic form and the believable behaviour of the heroines, whose will to survive turns them from minute to minute into senseless and vengeful creatures, so much that I stick to a positive rating, even if it's very, very tight. 70% (06/08/2015)

The best horror film of 2005. After an average werewolf flick, Neil Marshall took a step back and created a perfect combination of atmospheric tension and bloody carnage. If you want to see the monsters in person, I recommend a visit to the Rieseneishöhle cave in the Dachstein massif near Hallstatt, in Austria. On the walls of one of the chambers there’s a projection of one of those “Gollums” and it’s bloody realistic. (05/04/2007)