So, as is our custom, we sat to watch another horror on Sunday evening.
I knew I'd enjoy this week's option as I've seen it twice before! 2005's The Descent sees a group of friends meeting up for their annual thrill seeking adventure.
Just 12 months after tragedy struck, killing the husband and daughter of one of our group, she and five others go on a caving expedition. As with all groups there is a sliding scale of likeability with our sextet and you'll warm towards some whilst repelling others before they start heading down into the cave system.
Now I'm not proud of this but I have spent more time on YouTube watching stories of stuck cavers — enough for it to score really high on my list of experiences to avoid — and the feeling of claustrophobia it induces helped me appreciate just how well the director Neil Marshall has done to convey that feeling to an audience who aren't warped enough to watch such things on YouTube.
The sets look fantastic, the lighting is integral to the film and its sense of foreboding, the acting is great and the script is tight. It really is a great British horror movie.
There's enough jump scares sprinkled throughout to satisfy most horror connoisseurs and some solid gore to boot.
I wouldn't rule out watching for a fourth time at some point in the future — a really enjoyable 99 minutes.
Alan's Verdict
- 🩸 Gore Score: 5/10
- 😱 Jump Scares: 7/10
- 🎬 Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Clare's Take
I enjoyed The Descent, though perhaps not quite as much as Alan — but then again, he's seen it twice before so he had a head start! One thing that genuinely impressed me was the all-female cast, which makes a refreshing change for the genre. That said, once the helmets went on and the cave went dark, I'll admit I struggled to tell who was who — the different accents helped, but only so much!
The jump scares did their job, though funnily enough the one that made me leap out of my seat wasn't even a monster. Sometimes the simplest moments are the most effective. The acting was solid throughout and the gore, while present, was manageable — nothing that'll put you off your tea.
A solid watch and one I'd recommend to any horror fan.
- 🩸 Gore Score: 4/10
- 😱 Jump Scares: 5/10
- 🎬 Overall Rating: 7/10
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