The Descent (2005)

Featured Audience Ratings

• John M

  
  Well done horror flick. Ive noticed a lot of the better thrillers are being made in other countries. Im so glad that these movies are getting shots to shine here in the US.

• Jeff "

  
  The Descent is director Neil Marshall follow-up film to his memorable debut, Dog Soldiers. The Descent is yet another monster film and it's a genre that Marshall knows how to handle well. The result is a terrifyingly bold original film that is not your typical Hollywood trash… More
  The Descent is director Neil Marshall follow-up film to his memorable debut, Dog Soldiers. The Descent is yet another monster film and it's a genre that Marshall knows how to handle well. The result is a terrifyingly bold original film that is not your typical Hollywood trash that we see nowadays. In the past, the British have made great horror films such as 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead. The Descent is yet another film that follows that tradition to create strong horror films that have the ability to terrify and be original. Neil Marshall has already made his mark in the genre, but with this film he secures his place a promising director. The film has monster film elements with the usual Backwood elements that is a great setting for many horror films. The film has a good cast of actresses a thrilling story and above all great directing. The film doesn't rely on cheap scares to create effective terror. The film takes time to build the terror and suspense, which is a key element to build effective terror and dread in the viewer. Neil Marshall has outdone himself with The Descent. This is a superb film that delivers old school thrills that die-hard horror fans expect. The Descent doesn't rely on cheap scares and it's one of the few recent films that really tries to terrify you by relying on the atmosphere of the films setting, which work well to elevate the terror on-screen. This is a terrifying film that is a much needed breath of fresh air in this tired out genre. The Descent is a well executed horror film that proves that real horror is still alive. The feeling of dread is constant and this is a film that delivers the shocks and thrills.

• Albert K

  
  Claustrophobic, chilling, and brutal... this movie is one of the few that truly stands out as a great horror movie. Really well done. Cannot recommend it enough. Watch it!

• Eric A

  
  WOW, I couldn't ask for a more engaging and suspenseful horror film. I was actually skeptical as to whether this film would even be worthy enough to watch, but once I was 10 minutes in, I was sold. I have many positive things to say about the film but i'll keep the review… More
  WOW, I couldn't ask for a more engaging and suspenseful horror film. I was actually skeptical as to whether this film would even be worthy enough to watch, but once I was 10 minutes in, I was sold. I have many positive things to say about the film but i'll keep the review short. I really loved how this film was shot first and foremost. It's filmed almost entirely in the dark but manages to do the job with great camera angles and great acting. I think it's awesome how it was made with all chicks in every role, and I also think it's pretty neat how they created these monster/human evolved creatures who lurk in the caves. Which is even surprising that I like that because I am not really into sci-fi like creatures and monsters that are put into films with real life scenarios, but this film pulled it off brilliantly. It's a definite must watch.

• Jens S

  
  Six women climbing into a cave system for a bonding adventure a year after a tragic accident soon find out what real horror is. What this British film makes of this situation is no less than a highlight of the genre: terrifying, nerve-wracking, gory, mean, intense and claustrophobic.… More
  Six women climbing into a cave system for a bonding adventure a year after a tragic accident soon find out what real horror is. What this British film makes of this situation is no less than a highlight of the genre: terrifying, nerve-wracking, gory, mean, intense and claustrophobic. A big plus is the lack of computer tricks (except for a flock of bats), which makes for a very real feeling, even when things turn fantastic. Sure, the number of ugly fractures and flesh wounds is hard to stomach for the average viewer. But one of the biggest assets of the film are female characters that are not merely bimbos ready to be killed one after another, but round characters that stand an honest chance and whose demise is a pity. Towards the end a few of the fights and action get a tad repetitive but that doesn't lessen the impact of the unbelievable ending which pretty much reaches down the audience's throat and rips out their spine. Holy crap. Easily one of the best horror films of the last ten years.

• Jennifer X

  
  I love how girl power this movie is, even when it gets so crap-my-pants scary.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  4 stars

• Wahida K

  
  Tiny bits of shocking moments and the classic thing, when not to scream exactly then they do! lol. This Movie caused me headache and got on my nerves. Thats why I loved the end! <i>Fav bits</i> Sarah falls down a hole and is knocked unconscious. Sarah awakens, scrambles… More
  Tiny bits of shocking moments and the classic thing, when not to scream exactly then they do! lol. This Movie caused me headache and got on my nerves. Thats why I loved the end! <i>Fav bits</i> Sarah falls down a hole and is knocked unconscious. Sarah awakens, scrambles up a huge pile of bones towards daylight, squeezes through a narrow opening onto the surface, runs to her vehicle and speeds off. Suddenly, Sarah sees Juno sitting next to her, her face streaked with blood. Sarah screams and awakens to find herself still in the cavern. She sees her smiling daughter close by and a birthday cake between them. The field of view widens to reveal that Sarah is hallucinating and she is actually staring at a torch. The calls of the crawlers grow louder, but Sarah is oblivious. THE END

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Shauna MacDonald, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, Nora-Jane Noone, Oliver Milburn, Leslie Simpson, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, MyAnna Buring, Molly Kayll Director: Neil Marshall Summary: Six girlfriends, led by thrill seeker Juno (Natalie Mendoza), go spelunking a year after a… More
  Cast: Shauna MacDonald, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, Nora-Jane Noone, Oliver Milburn, Leslie Simpson, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, MyAnna Buring, Molly Kayll Director: Neil Marshall Summary: Six girlfriends, led by thrill seeker Juno (Natalie Mendoza), go spelunking a year after a tragic incident. But when they get trapped under the earth, all rationale escapes them as they start to suffer from limited oxygen and delusions -- or are they? Now, the friends must find a way to escape the cave and the murky creatures that lie within it. My Thoughts: "This was a film that was out to scare you. Although I didn't feel scared, I did feel disgusted. The film is one of the goriest horror films I have seen in some time. Lots of blood and guts. But the film did make me jump and the whole scenario, although unrealistic, is still terrifying. The creatures are the most scariest looking things. Very ferocious looking. The acting is good by all the gals. They really made you feel some of the stuff they were going through, the fear, claustrophobic, and the understanding of ones survival. Even if that means betraying a friend to further yourself in the possibility of making it out alive. Great horror flick. Not as scary as others led me to believe, but still worth the watch."

• KJ P

  
  I thought that the descent was one of the stupidest concepts for a movie in a long time. It definitely had it's moments, but I never thought I would be able to sit through it. The end is a bit worth waiting for, but other than that I really don't like it!

• Summer W

  
  I was pleasantly surprised. Horror movies lately can be so disappointing, but this one delivers. It's seriously freaky on so many levels, and has a depth that most horror movies don't usually bother with.

• J P

  
  This was a fantastic movie. The entire movie was so intense. You didn't know what was going to happen next. The movie was not predictable at all compared to most horror movies these days. It was also very original. There was a lot of blood/gore and action that I really liked.… More
  This was a fantastic movie. The entire movie was so intense. You didn't know what was going to happen next. The movie was not predictable at all compared to most horror movies these days. It was also very original. There was a lot of blood/gore and action that I really liked. The characters for the most part were very likable and the movie actually made you care about what happened to some of them. The acting was also amazing. The actors portrayed their characters so well, and they made the script seem great (even though it wasn't that great). I really enjoyed this movie and I will definitely watch it in the future. Unfortunately, this movie wasn't able to give me nightmares, but the scene where the girl broke her leg really stuck with me for a few days. It still gives me chills when I think about it. Gross! But so well made :)

• Lewis C

  
  "We all lost something in that crash." The Descent is a movie of several different kinds of fear. Fear of oppresing, endless darkness. Claustrophobic fear of being trapped in small space miles under the surface, with possibly no way out. Fear of unknown, bloodthirsty… More
  "We all lost something in that crash." The Descent is a movie of several different kinds of fear. Fear of oppresing, endless darkness. Claustrophobic fear of being trapped in small space miles under the surface, with possibly no way out. Fear of unknown, bloodthirsty monsters. Fear of your own companions and their actions. I've seen this so many times that I shouldn't be frightened by it anymore, but I certainly am. It's the atmosphere and the uncomfortable ease that you can find yourself drawn into this unknown cave system with these women, their underlying issues, and the unseen terrors in the dark. I keep watching it again because it's so entertaining, even beyond the normal parameters of a horror movie. The Descent dabbles successfully in both primal and psychological horror, features a setting that would inspire panic without any additional enemies, and sticks a great cast right in the middle of it. There will never be a horror movie that appeals to absolutely everyone (the nature of fear is too subjective for that), but this is one of the few movies in the genre that I think comes close to being universal. If you have any slight interest in horror of any kind, you should make seeing this an imperative.

• Coxxie M

  
  i dont call 6 menstruating girls bitching at other for an hour entertainment... atleast most of them get killed

• Dead A

  
  This was scary I tell you.

• Tim S

  
  Not a terrible movie, but it has its share of problems. Definitely a claustrophobic nightmare though.

• Tony G

  
  Adept underground creature feature with a good amount of jolts and scares.

• Dan S

  
  A near-masterpiece of a horror film. One of the most terrifying and suspenseful movies I've sat through. It's a gory, messy, dirty, and bone-breaking movie that deserves to be seen. Most critics gave this a solid rating, but I feel this was an extraordinary movie. The score… More
  A near-masterpiece of a horror film. One of the most terrifying and suspenseful movies I've sat through. It's a gory, messy, dirty, and bone-breaking movie that deserves to be seen. Most critics gave this a solid rating, but I feel this was an extraordinary movie. The score is brilliant as well, adding an "epic" feel to this...well, epic journey down in the caves of the Appalachian Mountains. The ending will leave you haunted for a while, definitely a movie that will stick with you. Every two or three years a great horror movie comes out. In 2002, it was "The Ring", in 2004, it was "Saw", in 2006, it was this film.

• Conner R

  
  It wasn't the worst , but it sort've had the same problems as Doomsday. The Carpenter references are way to obvious. Its main flaw was in the dialogue and the fact that the girls turned into action stars out of no where. The effects and cinematography were really great… More
  It wasn't the worst , but it sort've had the same problems as Doomsday. The Carpenter references are way to obvious. Its main flaw was in the dialogue and the fact that the girls turned into action stars out of no where. The effects and cinematography were really great looking, but it didn't make up for the weak plot.

• Chris W

  
  Exceptionally good modern horror film that is both gory AND genuinely suspenseful and scary. Neil Marshall is proving himself to be a pretty good director, and this is example B to back that up. The performances are pretty good, and bring some real feeling and emotion to the already… More
  Exceptionally good modern horror film that is both gory AND genuinely suspenseful and scary. Neil Marshall is proving himself to be a pretty good director, and this is example B to back that up. The performances are pretty good, and bring some real feeling and emotion to the already tense atmosphere.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings