Does a movie from 2005 count as a ‘classic’ yet? Many horror fans would see The Descent that way, certainly.
The Descent follows six female friends who have reconnected after a horrific accident killed one of their husbands along with their daughter. They embark on a caving expedition as they share an interest in extreme sports. As one would expect from a horror film, things begin to go horribly wrong when one of the caves collapses when our heroines are deep within it. Not only do their friends begin to deteriorate, but so do their minds when they begin to see a demon-like species within the cave’s walls.
Yes, this is a slow burning horror… but man is it tense?! The Descent is basically proof that low budget horror can sometimes be much more effective than any big budget Blockbuster.
Using an ensemble of lesser known actors definitely adds to the effectiveness here here. None of those preconceived notions that come with big name stars are present to muddy the waters, and it keeps you guessing who’s going to live or die. Many consider Shauna Macdonald a ‘Scream Queen’ due to her performance here, and that’s completely warranted. I mean, the above image alone is iconic nowadays, specifically amongst horror nerds, and that’s completely down to Macdonald.
Although there are some jump scares, this is a film that doesn’t rely on them and that is super refreshing. There’s backstory, plot, character arcs, and – best of all – a brilliant scream queen. Everything you want from a horror movie. Steering clear of an abundance of jump scares only adds to the tension, making the scenario feel all the more real.
For me, the ending was anger-inducing, and turned me off from rating this film a 4Q movie. However, since watching, I did a little bit of research like any good movie lover would. Apparently there are two different endings! So it’s really just luck of the draw on which one you watch. Annoyingly, I saw the UK version and that is certainly not the way to go. Rest assured that the US version is better, so if you can help it, try to find a copy of that one instead if you can.
As a whole, The Descent is not always completely compelling throughout (again, it really is a slow burn), but it’s a decent horror thriller that deserves its cult status nevertheless.
The Descent is available to stream on All4 (if you’re quick!) in the UK.
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