The Descent is a 2005 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall. On a budget of £3,500,000 the film grossed an estimated £57,029,609 at the box office. The Descent also did very well with the critics, 86% gave it a good review. The film is rated 18 and runs for approximately ... Read review
On a daredevil caving holiday six girls are trapped underground when an unexpected rock ... more
fall blocks their exit. Searching the maze of tunnels for a way out, they find themselves hunted by a race of fearless, hungry predators, once humanoid but now mons...
Afraid of the dark? You will be! When a young group of female friends go on a climbing ... more
expedition they find a lot more than they bargained for. Lost in a cave off the maps they encounter a race of barely human cannibalistic subterraneans who are ver...
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No book made a greater impact on the intellectual world of its first Victorian readers nor ... more
has had such an enduring influence on our thinking on science literature theology and philosophy. In "The Descent of Man" Darwin addresses the crucial question of the origins evolution and racial divergence of mankind that he had deliberately left out of "On the Origin of Species". And the evidence he presents forces us to question what it is that makes us uniquely human.
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A group of close female friends on a yearly adventure vacationfind themselves trapped and ... more
hunted in a series of caves by anunknown force that lurks in the shadows in The Descent, the secondhorror feature from Dog Soldiers writer/director Neil Marshall.After suffering a devastating car crash one year before, Sarah(Shauna Macdonald) is lured to the States with her friend Beth(Alex Reid) to a special spelunking trip by the fearless Juno(Natalie Mendoza), who abruptly fled from the U.K. after Sarah'saccident. Along with two old friends and a new acquaintance ofJuno's, the group embark on a cave expedition that takes a turn forthe worse after a rock fall leaves them stranded in an unchartedcave with no map and only a handful of supplies to last them therest of the trip. As tensions arise in the group, they are facedwith another danger -- one whose love of the dark is as strong asits lust for blood. Opening to rave reviews in the U.K. in July of2005, the creature-feature went on to show at the Venice FilmFestival and garnered the top prize for Euro feature at Sweden'sFantastic Film Festival. The Descent was picked up for future U.S.distribution by Lion's Gate, whose work was cut out for themconsidering the tame opening of the similarly-themed statesideproduction of The Cave in late-August of the same year. Special Features: Audio commentary with director and crew Audio commentary with director and cast "The Descent: Beneath the Scenes" Deleted and extended scenes Storyboard and scene comparisons Outtakes Descending: interview with director Neil Marshall Stills gallery Cast and crew biographies
A group of girls seek adventure on a caving expedition. Deep inside underground caves they ... more
find themselves cut off from the world and off the map. Battling to get back to the surface they realise that they are being hunted by an unknown cannibalistic force. Now they must pull together and fight for their very survival.
Advantages: Good story, scary Disadvantages: None I can think of
The Descent is a 2005 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall. On a budget of £3,500,000 the film grossed an estimated £57,029,609 at the box office. The Descent also did very well with the critics, 86% gave it a good review. The film is rated 18 and runs for approximately 99 minutes.
As I previously mentioned, the film was both written and directed by Neil Marshall, he directed Dog Soldiers and Doomsday which didn’t ... ...Producer for The Descent 2 which will be released later this year and follows on from where the first film ends.
Shauna Macdonald stars alongside Natalie Mendoza. Macdonald is well known for appearing in the TV show Spooks and Mendoza appeared in Hotel Babylon.
When Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) loses both her Husband and her Daughter in a tragic car accident she’s understandably broken mentally by the incident. A year ... more
The Descent is a 2005 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall. On a budget of £3,500,000 the film grossed an estimated £57,029,609 at the box office. The Descent also did very well with the critics, 86% gave it a good review. The film is rated 18 and runs for approximately 99 minutes.
As I previously mentioned, the film was both written and directed by Neil Marshall, he directed Dog Soldiers and Doomsday which didn’t do very well with the critics. He’s also the Executive Producer for The Descent 2 which will be released later this year and follows on from where the first film ends.
Shauna Macdonald stars alongside Natalie Mendoza. Macdonald is well known for appearing in the TV show Spooks and Mendoza appeared in Hotel Babylon.
When Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) loses both her Husband and her Daughter in a tragic car accident she’s understandably broken mentally by the incident. A year later her two best friends Juno (Natalie Mendoza) and Beth (Alex Reid) put together a caving trip involving Sarah and a group of friends.
The girls embark on their trip early in the morning and arrive at the cave on time, this is a cave that no one has ever been in and Juno thinks that it will cheer Sarah up tremendously to know that she was one of the first people to go down there. Juno is an adventure girl that thinks she knows everything, she decides that leaving the map of the cave behind will make it more of an adventure for the girls. When they get into the cave there’s only one opening which is their only way out. Excitingly the girls begin to go down there but soon they begin to hear noises, one by one the girls start to get hurt or disappear in the pitch black but they have no idea what’s happening to them…
I’ve been a big fan of this film ever since I saw it a couple of years ago. I never ended up buying it on DVD so whenever I see it advertised on TV I jump at the chance to see it and as this was showing late on Film 4 last night I decided to record it so I could watch it again after seeing it countless times already.
The story is quite original yet it includes all those clichés that horror films tend to include such as all the characters are female, the horror genre was really made for women. One of the characters also leaves the map behind thinking it will make the trip more exhilarating, as soon as that happens you know it’s going to spell trouble. Then lastly you have the really adventurous girl that has just been introduced to the group in the form of adrenaline junkie Holly who you just know is going to be the first to go! Despite all the clichés this film manages to work brilliantly in a way that other British horror films have failed miserably. Like I said earlier the story is original, it’s not about ghosts or gremlins which makes it a lot more entertaining to watch.
What I really like about the film was throughout it plays with your knowledge of reality and make-believe, this happens when Sarah has her flashbacks to the tragic accident a year previous. Throughout the whole film you’re never quite sure whether the events are happening or not and this thought is played with at numerous intervals. What makes a horror film scary for me is when it could actually happen, I’m a big fan of the Saw franchise but I don’t find them scary, scary films to me could easily become reality and although The Descent expands the boarders of reality in some aspects it still plays with your insecurities like claustrophobia, this is present thorough the film and to me is actually quite frightening the thought of being trapped in the dark.
If any of you have seen The Descent then you’ll know what’s lurking in the cave. Normally I would find this quite farfetched and not frightening whatsoever. If anyone has ever seen the 2004 film Creep then you’ll understand what I mean. This film is different though as it doesn’t just give you visible horror it’s also psychological horror which for me is much more startling. The good thing about the creatures in the film is that you never fully see them which keeps an air of mystery about them, even by the end of the film you still haven’t found out what they are or why they’re there which makes them very scary. The thought that people are only scared of things they don’t know rings true in this film.
The special effects are brilliant and really add to the tenseness of the film. As I mentioned earlier the way the creatures are always kept partly in the dark is brilliant. Lots of films, including Creep like to show off with all the special effects and it just ruins the mood of the film and you end up finding the film more comical than scary. I think The Descent is a very smart horror as it does very well in giving you a little taster of what’s in the darkness but you never know for sure which keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Although this film doesn’t exactly have an A-List cast the acting is actually quite good, you really feel the emotion from Sarah about her horrible ordeal and you can feel the tension she has with Juno. At he beginning the film also hints at Juno having an affair with Sarah’s husband, although this is never confirmed or denied in the film it’s something that stays in the back of your mind as to why the two of them aren’t so close anymore.
The ending coincides perfectly with the running story and I think it was a good ending. The way that things aren’t completely wrapped up and you’re still left with questions in your mind keeps you thinking about it afterwards. I can see how it can lead onto the sequel now being that it begins as soon as the film ends but I can’t imagine how they’re going to top the sheer brilliance of the first film.
The Descent has become one of my favourite horror films from the past couple of years and I’m going to have to purchase it on DVD sooner rather than later. I love how the film plays with your mind which leads to some genuinely frightening moments. This is a highly recommended horror film and I suggest that if you haven’t seen it you give it a watch.
The 2-Disc special edition DVD is available from play.com for £4.99.
The special features include: Audio commentary from director Neil Marshall and members of the cast Shauna MacDonald, Myanna Buring, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder and Nora-Jane Noone Audio commentary from Neil Marshall and producer Christian Colson, editor Jon Harris, production designer Simon Bowles and assistant editor Catriona Richardson Extended scenes 'Making Of' featurette (45 mins) Outtakes Storyboard comparisons Stills galleries Biographies of cast and crew Theatrical trailer
Advantages: Well paced, character development, all-female cast Disadvantages: Those expecting a happy ending look elsewhere!
The descent, a film directed by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers) is a horror movie that bucks normal convention. Not only does is it brave enough to have an all-female cast, but not one of them is a big-busted bimbo shrieking and doing stupid things. The women here are believable which adds immeasurably to the sense of danger and personal attachment of the viewer. Oh, there's no gratuitous nudity either or lesbian connection either. Fantastic.
The descent ... ...horrific car accident claimed the lives of Sara's husband and young child. The group always holiday togeather each year, taking turns to choose the excursion which is normally "adventure" themed. This year Juno, the only American member of the group and an alpha-female invites the girls to a caving expedition in the Appalachian Mountains. For many of them, this is the first time that they seen Sara since the hospital (or presumably the funeral). ...
dancomp 14.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Descent (DVD)
Advantages: Really good film, pretty much non-stop action. Disadvantages: Gory, tense, don't watch if you don't like to be scared.
...i really wanted to watch the descent. It was directed by Neil Marshall, the director of dog soldiers which is another horror film i enjoyed.
The plot is very basic. It centres around 5 friends who enjoy adventure and taking risks.
The film begins with the 5 girls white water rafting in Scotland. They make it back to shore and one of the girls Sarah sets off back to their lodgings in a car with her husband and daughter. They are involved in a head ... ...The story then moves 1 year forward and the girls are metting again in the Appalachian mountains in the USA to go cave-diving. A 6th girl joins them on the expedition into the mountains. Sarahs friend Juno (with whom there is tension between her and Sarah, after she didn't stay around after Sarahs family was killed) has organised everything and tells the girls they are going down into a cave that she has maps for and is a tourist trap. We later find ...
manimal 04.12.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Descent (DVD)
Advantages: Gripping edge of the seat stuff Disadvantages: terrifying and gory!
...fan of horror films, especially the things round a corner that make you jump type. This is exactly that kind of film. If I had known what this film was going to be like I would not have rented it. Having said that I am glad I did. I found this to be a gripping tale of survival, fear and betrayal amongst friends.
The Cast - I personally have not heard of any of these names previously and I only recognised one of the faces in the film. The two main ... ...Nora-Jane Noone (recognised!)
The story - The film starts with a group of friends (all af the above) doing white water rafting. On the way home Sarah and her family are involved in a car crash in which her partner Paul and daughter Jessica are killed. This is the first jumping point of the film.
A year later Juno decides to invite all the friends back together to go caving. The film is entitled the descent as they have to absail down into the cave. ...
kirkytracy 24.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Descent (DVD)
Advantages: Tense, realistic and scary at the same time Disadvantages: Not to be watched if you are partial to claustriphobia
The Decent offers you a guaranteed image of cave exploring you will never forget. When a group of six daring friends decide to go for a cave exploring weekend in an uncharted cavern things do not all go to plan, when a rockslide prevents them from their exit they must delve their way further in to the darkness, unknowing what lies deep in the hollow.
This movie is 95 minutes of suspence and action, the teams must overcome situations which endager ...
chichilovesme 23.08.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Descent (DVD)
Advantages: Terrifying Disadvantages: Could be too frightenning for some.
The less you know about this movie before you see it, the more you will get out of it. Fortunately, for me, all that I knew was it was a horror film, and my ignorance allowed this movie to blow me away. So I will try and steer clear of spoilers.
I cannot recall a film in recent years that has been so effective in scaring the living daylights out of me. I am a horror fan but I find myself laughing at most, even the ones that go out of their way to ... ...skin' moment that occurs in the first five minutes of this movie, an uncomfortable atmosphere pervades throughout. This is bolstered by an amazing soundtrack by David Julyan which has you constantly on edge.
This is one hundred times better than 'Dog Soldiers' which had some really bad acting, dodgy script writing and ludicrous monsters. The horror in this movie comes from the utterly realistic and believable. It is physically uncomfortable to watch, ...
Krullix 07.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of The Descent (DVD)
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Advantages: Great in 5.1 with a tense atmosphere and clever menus Disadvantages: Slow burner which eventually fires up and maybe a bit visceral for some
Many moons ago I was in the scouts - a wonderful organisation that introduced me to girls, drinking and the joys(?) of caveing. Oh, and scouting but this was just a minor distraction. Anyway, one summer we all went into this cave in the Lake District and I have never been so scared in my life as the time when I thought I was never going to get out of that damn hole in the ground. So it was with some trepidation that I sat and watched the 2-disc DVD of this British horror film. Set in a cave for Gods sake!
'The Descent' tells the story of six women and their 'adrenalin junkie' lifestyle as they embark on an expedition into the (almost) total darkness of an undiscovered cave deep in the Appalachian Mountains. What begins as a joyful trip to escape the horrors that traumatised one member of the party the previous year soon descends ...
Advantages: Superb direction and special effects Disadvantages: Darkened opening scenes
I rarely review films as I don't consider it to be my forte compared to the talents of some of the film reviewers on this site; but I've made an exception in this instance purely because I enjoyed the film so much. I didn't purchase this film for any reason other than it was the only second film I could find that I thought I might enjoy in a 2 for £12 at Tesco. There's nothing about the outer cover that led me to believe I was going to enjoy anything particularly special, it looked like just another horror film to me from the dark cover with it's bloody image; hence why this DVD sat in my cupboard for some six months before I got round to watching it. I'm glad I finally did though.
Reading this review will not spoil the film for you.
☆SYNOPSIS☆
The story starts out by briefly introducing us to the characters ...
Advantages: Great plot, Camera work is excellent, Acting is Superb, Genuinely Scary Disadvantages: Muddled Ending, Could have Expanded Caution between Friends
I have seen the Descent twice in the last week, both times with a bunch of mates and on both occasions it has scared the life out of me. I am not a person who easily takes fright, jump, or flinch from the sight of gore (which there is A LOT of) but this film managed it without breaking a sweat. This is British film making at its best the Descent truly draws you in, leaving a cold chill down your spine.
The Descent is a horror film which follows 8 women who live for extreme adrenaline-fueled action. Just to illustrate this the beginning of the film shows 4 of the main characters white water rafting down some rapids. Not to spoil any part of the film, but one of the women - Sarah gets involved in a car accident soon after where her husband and daughter are killed. She then suffers from strange nightmares and delusions. We then skip ...
Dog Soldiers' Neil Marshall turns the screws with expert precision. Tense, gory and masterfully malevolent (Total Film, )
DVD Description
A group of girls seek adventure on a caving expedition. Deep inside underground caves they find themselves cut off from the world and off the map. Battling to get back to the surface they realise that they are being hunted by an unknown cannibalistic force. Now they must pull together and fight for their very survival.
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