Movie Review: The Descent is Worth the Trip Down

The Descent

Written and directed by Neil Marshall  

Responding to my son’s cries of boredom, I took him to see The Descent. I wasn’t sure if I was in the mood to see something scary, but there I was, nonetheless – in the fourth row even – for added horror goodness. I have to say, from the start, things happened that I just didn’t see coming. This is not a complaint; this is a good thing in a horror flick. And this is the strength of the film, the jumps, gasps, and occasional “oh shit”s.  

Outdoorsy adrenaline junkie Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) is joined by five of her closest friends on a trip to explore an Appalachian cave. Not just a chance for friends to hang out (literally), the trip is therapy for Sarah. A year previous she lost her husband and daughter in a horrific auto accident. She still suffers from bizarre dreams and hallucinations. But she insists she’s fine, and the rest of the group concurs. They meet up in an outdoorsy little cabin, wearing adorable, outdoorsy outfits, drinking, smoking, and catching up. The scene is reminiscent of 2003’s Dreamcatcher, all getting-back-to-nature goodwill with a Gurly, Sporty Spice twist. 

There is the odd bit of tension here and there. The plot crumbs were thrown down from the start, when earlier, we glimpsed a tender moment between Sarah’s soon to be dead husband, and gal pal Juno (Natalie Mendoza). Not like anyone was sending up flares (they’d need them later in the movie) but somewhere between microsecond longing glances – and Juno’s overly distraught reaction to Paul’s death – you pretty much knew that Juno and Sarah’s husband Paul had a thing. 

But back to the Adventure.

The next morn, bright and early, Juno rouses the hung over femme rabble to fetch axes and lanterns and appropriate cosmetics for the trek. They drive, they laugh, and they hike, and finally come to the mouth of the Cave of Wonders. No, that really wasn’t the name, they were actually supposed to be exploring Boreham Cave, which would have been a neat trick, as it’s actually located in the U.K., and not the Appalachian Trail, as was the supposed setting. 

The women all seem to be pretty capable climbers, their talent is set off in scenes such as one that shows one of the girls hauling herself across a chasm to set up a line so the rest can follow. A difficult task involving much upper body strength and a very firm grip. Not sure if it was Sam (MyAnna Buring) or Rebecca (Saskia Mulder), but as she inserts her cams and biners, she is grunting in exertion and fear. Made me glad I don’t do that kind of stuff. Even gladder, as (Sam, I think) suffered very nasty rope burns as she tried to grab and hold a falling Juno’s line. Tore right through her gloves! 

Article Author: Mary K. Williams

Mary K. is a freelance entertainment writer living in the Greater Boston area. She has written CD reviews for Metronome Magazine and is a former Features Editor for Hot Psychology Magazine. Mary K. has also contributed to the anthology, Brewed …

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